The Odisha unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday launched an all-out attack on the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner and Mayor, by accusing the civic body of cheating slum dwellers in the name of Jaga Mission.
Addressing a press conference, BJP’s Bhubaneswar District President, Babu Singh said, “The BMC Commissioner has been reiterating that they are distributing pattas (Record of Rights) among the slum dwellers. But, they are not pattas. They are Land Record Certificates (LRCs). Instead of giving them residential plots, they have given them fake documents of pasture lands.”
“They (the BJD) are planning to win the 2024 general elections by distributing mere pieces of paper instead of pattas. But the slum dwellers have seen through these blue jackals (BJD leaders). They have been cheating the slum dwellers for 23 years. This year, the slum dwellers will give the BJD a befitting reply,” Singh said, adding that the BJP will take the fight to the courts to give the slum dwellers their rights.
“Surveys are being conducted before every election. Earlier, they had distributed tokens among slum dwellers after conducting three surveys. Now, they are again conducting a survey using drone cameras. Though a great deal of money is being spent in the name of surveys, the BMC is yet to come up with a clear picture with respect to pattas. No prior discussion is being held with the concerned corporators. They have even distributed land belonging to the OUAT. Despite the BMC producing documents in support of the pattas distributed, the OUAT has served notices informing them that their houses will be pulled down,” Singh further added.
No response could be obtained from the BMC over BJP’s allegations.