Bhubaneswar: Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Pranab Prakash Das has been booked by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for demolishing two unauthorized structures built at his official residence over the years in Odisha. has raised a controversy over the alleged violation of
Das, the BJD's organizing secretary, was a three-term MLA from Jajpur in the last Assembly, but contested and lost the Lok Sabha election from Sambalpur against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He has been asked to vacate his official residence allotted to him as a legislator by July 15.
State government officials said they have received complaints of vandalism activities at the BJD leader's house. A team visited the site and found two unauthorized structures and debris.
“Such construction was unauthorized and should not have been constructed. We will check our records and see who authorized these constructions,” an official from the General Administration Department said. The official added that Demolition activity began soon after the process of vacating the premises began.
BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said the demolition showed not only the BJD's corruption but also misuse of its powers. “Italian tiles were used for the unauthorized construction. A Spanish-style swimming pool was also built. How can such wealth be justified? It only shows that the BJD for the last two decades has How is the government doing,'' said Biswal.
Pranab Prakash Das said that the government quarters have to be returned in the same condition in which they were allotted. “Since I was the organizing secretary of the party, many leaders and workers of our party used to visit me. So, a temporary extension was built at the official residence (which is now being removed) to accommodate them,” he said. Das said.