Considering the interest of local people, apathetic attitude of administration and protection to land brokers by the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh Government as responsible for the arson at J K lakshmi Cement site at Malpuri Khurd in Durg district last week, Congress on Wednesday demanded immediate release of villagers arrested by police in this incident.
Alleging large scale bungling in diversion of the land purchased by J K lakshmi Cement for its plant at Malpuri Khurd besides open violation of ceiling rules in collusion with Government officials.
Congress claimed that establishment of plant at the village was completely illegal as the administration did not hold ‘Jan Sunwai’ (public hearing) at Malpuri Khurd and demanded immediate halt of the construction work.
The party alleged that Jan Sunwai was held at three other villages including Semariya but the company shifted the plant to Malpuri Khurd.
In a party press release, Congress state president Nand Kumar Patel and leader of opposition in State Assembly Ravindra Choubey said that when Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh himself has said that the arson at the J K lakshmi Cement plant was the handiwork of outsiders, there was no point in detaining innocent villagers.
The duo also questioned the arrests of innocent villagers by constables and junior police officials when the state government has already ordered Additional Director General level probe into the incident.
Due to police terror, all the males and boys have left the village, the added.
They alleged that district police crossed all limits of decency as adolescent girls and women nursing newborn children were also subjected to misbehave.
Criticising the statement of J K lakshmi Cement Executive Director Dr S Chouksey that company was not morally bound to give jobs to all
earlier owners of the land acquired through agents by the company.
The Congress leaders said this was the example how State Government protected land brokers grabbed the land of innocent villagers at throwaway prices and sold the same to industry at high premium.