At a time when as many as four constituencies of Odisha are all set to go to polls in the fourth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 on May 13, All India Agharia Mahasamaj has brought cheating allegations against 5T Chairman and BJD leader VK Pandian and party organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das.
The members of the All India Agharia Mahasamaj alleged that Pranab had initiated a discussion with the members of the association during the time of Jharsuguda by-election and assured them of construction of ‘Agharia Bhawan’ for them either in Bhubaneswar or Puri.
As per their allegations, even Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced to provide them a half acre of land in Patia and a grant of Rs 3 crore for the purpose.
However, the members of the association alleged that the promise was forgotten as soon as the election finished.
The land and the grant were subsequently provided to another organisation, they alleged.
The members of the society further alleged that IAS turned politician VK Pandian is not allowing them to meet the Chief Minister despite several requests.
In response, the society has moved High Court.
“The Chief Minister had announced to provide us a half acre of land and a grant of Rs 3 crore. However, it was provided to another local organisation in Bhubaneswar named Agragami that doesn’t accept the culture of Agharia caste. Though we went to Bhubaneswar to appraise the Chief Minister about the development, VK Pandian didn’t allow us to meet the CM,” alleged All India Agharia Mahasamaj President Dillip Patel.
“We had given a memorandum to the government to provide us a piece of land and some grant in Bhubaneswar for the construction of Agharia Bhawan. BJD organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das called us to have a discussion in this regard during the time of Jharsuguda by-election. The Chief Minister had also announced to provide us half acre of land and a grant of Rs 3 crore in Bhubaneswar for the purpose. However, nothing happened,” rued All India Agharia Mahasamaj Secretary Sushant Patel.
However, no reactions from Pandian, Das or the Odisha CM over the allegations against them could be obtained.