Odisha CM Alleges Govt Jobs Sold For Lakhs During Patnaik's Tenure, BJD Says Prove Charges

Majhi made the allegation while introducing the Odisha Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, in the assembly.

Bhubaneswar:Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday alleged that massive irregularities happened in government recruitments during the previous BJD regime and jobs were sold for lakhs of rupees.

Majhi made the allegation while introducing the Odisha Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, in the assembly.

Reacting strongly, the opposition BJD said the CM should not mislead the people by making "cheap" statements and asked him to prove the charges.

Majhi alleged that rampant corruption happened in the selection process for government jobs during the previous regime.

"Government jobs were sold for lakhs of rupees while the government witnessed it silently," he claimed.

Majhi claimed the previous Naveen Patnaik-led government played with the future of the state's youths, pointing to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of assistant section officers (ASO) in the state secretariat.

He also alleged that massive irregularities happened in last year's recruitment exams for junior engineers, the question papers of which were leaked.

He said the bill was aimed to "break the legacy" of the previous regime and ensure that people responsible for the irregularities in the recruitment process are punished.

The bill has the provision for Rs 1 crore fine and imprisonment for 10 years, the CM said.

"My government follows the principle of zero tolerance towards corruption. We believe in transparency and honesty in every sphere of government's functioning," he said.

The CM said the legislation was required in order to root out corruption.

The bill was passed in the assembly through a voice vote.

In a video message, opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik "condemned the statements" made by the chief minister.

"If there is any irregularity, the government is free to nab the culprit. There have been no irregularities in the previous government headed by Naveen Patnaik. He should shun misleading people by making cheap statements. It is unfortunate that a chief minister makes such kind of statements," she said.

"He has said that jobs are sold. Can he tell where the jobs were sold and who sold them? He has no such guts to nab the culprits if any. He cannot find any fault in the previous government as Naveen Patnaik has not done any wrong," she added.

Mallik "challenged" the chief minister to prove his allegations.