Demands CBI probe
launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for maintaining a ‘strange’ silence over misuse of discretionary quota by his party men and several bureaucrats, senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra on Friday demanded that the matter be handed over to the CBI for a fair and transparent probe.
“land mafias have virtually taken over the administration and the Third Floor (CMO) has turned out to be their corporate office. This is most unfortunate. Since only the CBI can unearth the truth, the Government should allow the Central investigating agency to probe it right from the year 2002, when the Odisha High Court had ordered the State Government to form a uniform policy for allocation of land,” said Mohapatra at a Press meet here.
He said that merely returning land/house by the law breakers after they are caught is not acceptable. They have to be taken to task and criminal action be initiated against them, he demanded.
Informing that the High Court had directed the State Government to form a master plan for Bhubaneswar for land allocation under discretionary quota in April 2002, Mohapatra questioned the Chief Minister’s silence over the matter until now.
He said no clear-cut policy was drafted in the matter which allowed the land grabbers to take away large chunks of land without any sense of fear.
“My question is to the Chief Minister that why did you keep mum all these yearsIJ What steps have you taken against the violatorsIJ You are accountable and you must explain your position on the matter to the people,” said the senior BJP leader.
Quoting the CAG report which was tabled in the Assembly during the Budget Session, he said the report has tarnished the image of the Government and exposed the much touted transparent facade of Patnaik.
“It’s the CAG, and not Bijay Mohapatra, which has said that you are not transparent. You (Naveen Patnaik) had evil intention. The CAG has made it clear that you have not followed the directives of the High Court and the Supreme Court. The discretionary quota was also misused even after you headed a committee in 2010,” said Mohapatra.
He said it is unfortunate that for the first time, the CAG named a Minister for illegal possession of plots, properties and houses by his family members.
Stating that the State Government did not show any interest in cancelling the acquired plots and houses even after the CAG report, Mohapatra said “I don’t know in whose interest the Government is not taking action against the violators.”