CMC tussle over ‘officer raj’ escalates as corporators hold night-long protest

The tussle between Mayor, corporators and officers of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) escalated further with BJP and Congress corporators staging a night-long protest in front of the civic body office since Monday night. 

The corporators launched the protest alleging that Cuttack-Barabati MLA Mohammad Moquim was not invited nor his name mentioned on foundation stone plaques of several welfare projects and other issues. 

The local MLA joined the protesting corporators in the night and alleged that ‘officer raj’ prevails in the civic body. 

“The corporators, both men and women, are holding a night-long protest without taking food. The CMC commissioner should have come to the site and held a discussion with them,” Moquim said.  

“There is the monopoly of officers here. The residents of Cuttack will not tolerate this. A politician having self-respect will not tolerate this. The protest will continue till a fruitful decision is taken and all cooperation is extended to the corporators,” he added.  

Moreover, the protestors also demanded the transfer of CMC chief executive engineer DR Tripathy, cancellation of bills passed in the absence of opposition. They also demanded an apology for Md Moquim. 

Mayor Subash Singh said, “The corporators are not protesting for the interest of the residents of Cuttack. The city residents want the council meetings to be held and their views to be presented and development works will take place. Instead of that, the corporators are protesting over the non-invitation of one person.”

“I have personally invited the MLA,” Singh claimed and dismissed the allegations that the plaques did not have the name of the local MLA. 

(Reported by Debasish Mohanty)