Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena has dared Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to cancel all houses and plots allocated under the discretionary quota (DQ) provision and go in for an auction.
In a letter addressed to the CM Jena said, “The allocation of houses and plots by BDA, CDA and Housing Board under DQ provision is unconstitutional and illegal since the provision has no mention in Odisha Development Authorities Act,1982 or any other act. So, all the houses and plots allocated under the provision should be cancelled and auctioned.”
He advised the Chief Minister to follow the directives of the Supreme Court, which has cancelled all coal blocks allotted from 1993 to till date.
“Instead of suppressing the illegal works by forming task force, you should rectify your past misdeeds. Unless, the law would not leave you,” said Jena.
He also mocked the formation of a Task Force to inquire into the matter and asked why the Government ordered an inquiry only from 1995.
“The Task Force has been asked to initiate inquiry of illegal allotment from 1995 to 2014 and submit the report within four months. Are the allotments of houses and plots before 1995 legalIJ The committee will ask the persons who have taken more than one plot or house to return and declare them guiltless. So, what is the need of four months to do the small exerciseIJ” asked the Congress leader.
He demanded action against ruling party leaders, who have submitted false affidavits to grab land or houses under the DQ provision.
“It is evident from the law Minister episode that furnishing false affidavit is not illegal in your Government. No action was taken against the then law Minister, who had taken two houses and later has returned one house. Recently, your Parliamentary party leader was declared guiltless after he returned two houses to the Government,” said Jena.
He informed that while a person faces three years of imprisonment for furnishing false affidavit under section 181 of the IPC, it seems the MlAs, MPs and Ministers are above the law in the Government.