Bhubaneswar: Amid controversy mounting on demolition activity at the government quarters of BJD's Organisational Secretary and former Odisha MLA Pranab Prakash Das in Bhubaneswar, the BJP has launched a scathing attack on the previous government and alleged that the former ruling party has had a tradition of corruption.

Addressing mediapersons, BJP spokesperson  Anil Biswal said the visuals that have emerged from the political leader's residence are not just disturbing but extremely unfortunate. "The footage of undergoing demolition work  that has emerged has not just exposed the BJD's habitual corruption but also the highhandedness of its leaders who continue to abuse power," he said. Biswal also said that the former MLA's parental house was not very far away which further questions the need to tear down a government residence and carry out luxurious extensions. "If one considers the fact that Pranab Das' parental house is close by, what makes his relatives come to the official quarters instead of his personal residence? And if the extension is being carried out to accommodate people coming to visit him, what explains the need for Italian tiles and a Spanish-style swimming pool? There are also conjectures about objectionable activities that were taking place in the underground space and if one is to believe some of them, plans were afoot for an artificial snowfall installation. How can such opulence be justified and that too when a leader is not even in power and there has been a change of government? It just shows how the BJD has been ruling for the last two decades," he added. Biswal also questioned why the gates were locked if the whole premise behind such extenson work is to accommodate people who come to visit him.

Commenting on the incident and Pranab Das' claims of abiding by the rules, former chief secretary Sahadev Sahu said one cannot speak of official guidelines with such callousness." Official rules and regulations are written. One cannot just get away saying that they have 'followed' rules. Have they complied with the law on paper, is the question. Not only is the former BJD leader guilty, even the GA department and other officials are equally complicit as they have allowed such breach of rules. One cannot carry out any construction at a government quarters without the GA department's approval. And whatever construction is done becomes a part of the government structure. It is another crime if that structure is demolished. When government allots a residence, the official or leader concerned lives there like living in a house on rent. They cannot go on a whimsical overdrive and break down the entire structure and carry out grandiose extensions like this," he said.

Reacting to the controversy, Pranab Das had cleared the air on the demolition activity and called out the media for airing 'unverified' news.." I was the organisational secretary of the BJD and all the party leaders and workers used to visit me. To make sitting arrangements for the visitors and receive their grievances, I had built a temporary extension on premises of my quarter. I have already told the GA Department to leave the quarter on time by following all procedures. I will hand over the quarter as it was allotted to me before. I am doing everything as per the rules," he had clarified.

Popularly known as Bobby Das, he was allotted the government quarter No. VIIIMR-1 at Unit-6 area in June 2019 as per the rule after he was elected to State Legislative Assembly from Jajpur. After he took possession of the newly allotted quarter, the GA Department cancelled the previously allotted government quarter No. VIIC-3, Unit-1 in Bhubaneswar.

Meanwhile, officials from the GA department have reached the leader's residence to inspect the undergoing work. They shall submit a report to higher authorities very soon, official sources said. They also shared that one or two rooms were illegally constructed and the allottee was intimated regarding the cancellation of the residential allotment.

Worth mentioning, here are the official guidelines regarding special repairs for various Government quarters under the State Capital Project:

Guideline of quarter repairing & renovation (1)