MP: Cong cries 'corruption' in Mahakal Lok corridor project, seeks probe by sitting HC judge; BJP calls it dirty politics


PTI | Bhopal | Updated: 31-05-2023 22:30 IST | Created: 31-05-2023 22:30 IST
MP: Cong cries 'corruption' in Mahakal Lok corridor project, seeks probe by sitting HC judge; BJP calls it dirty politics
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The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday alleged corruption in the Mahakal Lok corridor project in Ujjain city of the state and demanded an inquiry by a sitting high court judge into the ''sub-standard'' work carried out there.

The demand comes after six out of the seven idols of 'Saptarishis' (seven sages) installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor collapsed due to gusty winds on Sunday.

The Mahakal Lok corridor has been developed on the premises of Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain and its first phase was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year.

Congress leaders Shobha Oza and former minister and legislator Sajjan Singh Verma held a press conference in Bhopal after visiting the site where the idols collapsed. ''We demand that a sitting judge of the high court should investigate corruption and sub-standard work in the Mahakal Lok corridor project. We will submit all the proof and documents to the judge,'' Verma said.

A team of the Congress on Tuesday visited the Mahakal Lok along with experts and idol makers, Oza said. ''The experts said that the cost of idols was inflated by around 80 per cent,'' she said while accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of indulging in rampant corruption.

The Congress leaders said that the technical specifications meant for the idols were not fulfilled in the construction work, which resulted into the incident.

They said that the work was hurriedly completed so that PM Modi could inaugurate it in October last year.

Due to corruption and sub-standard work, the idols fell even during a mild storm, they said.

The Congress leaders also accused that Chinese material was used in the construction of the idols and the Mahakal Lok corridor.

On the one hand, the BJP opposes usage of Chinese material, while on the other it uses the same in the temple work, they said. Although the fallen idols are being repaired for reinstallation, these damaged idols should not be put up again there, they added. BJP leader and Minister for Urban Development Bhupendra Singh denied all the allegations and said in a tweet, ''The Congress which is doing dirty politics regarding Mahakal Lok should remember that the minister in-charge of Ujjain was Sajjan Singh Verma and he was present in the presentation where the tender of our BJP government came in for praise. His signature is also an proof of that. So what is their problem now?'' ''While the Congress leaders are making unrestrained allegations, why don't they give it in writing and make a complaint with an affidavit?'' he said. The Congress, which is making charges of defects, had given its technical approval for the idols, he said.

The broken idols will not be installed in the Mahakal Lok premises again, Singh said. ''There will be new idols. The chief minister has also given instructions for this,'' he said.

''For the Congress, religion is not a matter of faith, but an election event. When elections come, Congress starts dirty politics in the name of religion,'' he said. Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to be held by the end of this year.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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