Cong ghearoes BMC office demanding resignation of Dy Mayor

Bhubaneswar: Demanding the resignation of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) deputy mayor K. Shanti in connection with alleged irregularities of the allotment of houses under the Rajiv Awas Yojana, Congress activists today gheraoed the office of the urban local body.

Party members, led by senior leader Suresh Routray, sat on a dharna in front of the gate of the BMC and held a protest meeting.

Talking to media persons, Routray said, “On the occasion of Snana Purnima, we are staging a protest against the deputy mayor, who has cornered 11 houses in the name of her relatives. Besides, BJD has distributed 150 plots to its leaders and supporters.”

“The Rajiv Awas Yojana is a project initiated by the Congress-led government at the Centre. We had identified the beneficiaries and prepared the list. Our demand is distribution of the houses as per the old list. Apart from this, the CBI should be asked to inquire into the scam and the State should dismiss those who are involved in the irregularities," he added.

Expressing similar views, Manoranjan Das, president, Bhubaneswar District Congress, said, “We demand the resignation of K. Shanti ,who has availed houses under the Rajiv Awas Yojana. The Center’s scheme is intended to provide houses to eligible beneficiaries. We demand preparation of a fresh list for house allotment under the scheme.”

Notably, five relatives of BMC Deputy Mayor K. Shanti are in the list of beneficiaries under the Rajiv Awas Yojana housing scheme, which is intended to provide low-cost houses to the urban poor.