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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, Amit Shah is scheduled to address a gathering of about one lakh people in Bhubaneswar on January 6, where the party has decided to highlight corruptions issues of ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in the state.
“The BJD government has been exposed in issues like discretionary land allotment, chit fund scam and mining scam. We will take these issues to every constituency of the state through a special drive. Amit Shah will kick off the campaign during Maha Sangram rally scheduled on January 6”, said Bijaya Mohapatra, senior party leader at a press meet here.
Shah is coming to Odisha on January 6 on a two-day visit. During his stay, he will address the rally and take stock of the membership drive, initiated by the party across the country.
Odisha unit of BJP is trying to flex its muscle in the state by expanding its party cadres base from grassroot level as well as by attacking the BJD leadership on key issues to become the principal opposition voice. The state unit today said, the cancellation of land allotment orders by Naveen Patnaik government is just to cover up the misdeeds.
“The Taradatt panel report has said that its recommendation to cancel the land and house allotments under the discretionary quota was based upon limited data. This suggests the government is still trying to hide the irregularities made by it. The state exchequer lost crores of rupees due to blatant misuse of power in allotment of land and houses. The government, therefore, has lost all its morality to remain in the power,” Mohapatra added.
Two weeks back, the state government had decided to cancel 1791 property allotments made under the discretionary quota since January 1, 1995. The decision followed recommendations of a task force on land allotments in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack headed by Taradatt, additional chief secretary, revenue & disaster management, following huge uproar by political parties over the issue.
Though the government had done away with the discretionary quota in December 2011, it still drew flak as influential people availed the plots and homes under the quota meant for martyrs, sports persons and distinguished personalities. Ministers, bureaucrats, former and sitting judges, top cops and even journalists were beneficiaries of this quota which had landed the government in deep embarrassment. Apart from land allotment issue, the BJP would also focus on chit fund scam and mining scam in the rally.
“We will raise the issue of chit fund scam which has affected million of Odias. Similarly, we will tell the people about corruption in mining cases,” said Mohapatra, after outlining the tour plan of Shah.
In chit fund cases, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested one MLA and a MP of BJD. In mining scam, the Shah Commission had recommended CBI inquiry against 14 companies , despite the state government denying anything illegal about the mining operations.
