Mahakal Lok corridor project: BJP fights back corruption allegations after Saptarishi statue collapsed due to wind
Six out of seven idols of 'Saptarishis' installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor, on the premises of the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, collapsed due to gusty winds, sparking a political tussle between the Congress and the BJP in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh
PremiumPolitical tussle between Congress and the BJP has reignited on a new issue in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh this week after six out of seven idols of ‘Saptarishis’ installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor, developed on the Mahakaleshwar temple premises in Ujjain collapsed due to gusty wind.
The Congress party has hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, alleging corruption in the project and demanding a probe into the “sub-standard" quality of construction.
The Mahakal Lok corridor has been developed on the premises of Mahakaleshwar temple in MP's Ujjain. The first phase of the temple was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year.
"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," Congress leaders Shobha Oza and former minister and legislator Sajjan Singh Verma said.
Oza and a team of other Congress leaders visited the Mahakal Lok with idol makers and experts. "The experts said that the cost of idols was inflated by around 80%," she said. The Congress leaders said that the technical specifications meant for the idols were not fulfilled in the construction work, which resulted in 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 Chinese material was used in the construction of the idols and the Mahakal Lok corridor.
On the other hand, 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 proof of that. So what is their problem now?"
The Congress, which is making charges of defects, had given its technical approval for the idols, he said.
State assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to be held by the end of this year.
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