· All Odisha Contractors Association has lodged a complaint against Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and seven others.
· In its complaint, the association has alleged that its members had staged a demonstration in 2019 over a 10 point charter of demands.
· Among the demands that remain unmet are calls for all construction projects in Odisha to be awarded exclusively to local contractors.
· Ex-Chief Minister and ex-ministers were indulged in a criminal conspiracy and gave false assurance to fulfill the demands of the association, thereby committing criminal breach of trust.
· Despite the serious allegations and the FIR, there has been no public response from Naveen Patnaik, the accused BJD leaders.
The All-Odisha Contractors Association has escalated its grievances by lodging a First Information Report (FIR) against Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, along with six other prominent Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders and Vir Vikram Yadav, the principal secretary of the works department. The FIR, filed at the Mancheswar Police Station in Bhubaneswar, accuses them of criminal breach of trust and conspiracy, citing unfulfilled promises made to the association.
The dispute dates back to a major protest staged by nearly 15,000 members of the association in 2019, during which they presented a comprehensive ten-point charter of demands. At that time, the Odisha government, under Naveen Patnaik’s leadership, responded by forming a committee and offering assurances to meet the contractors’ demands. Encouraged by these commitments, the contractors called off their protest on November 17, 2019.
However, according to the association, the promises made by the former Chief Minister and the subsequent administrations were not upheld over the following four years. This failure to deliver on commitments has led the contractors to allege that they were intentionally misled and deceived. They claim that the assurances given amounted to a breach of trust, resulting in significant financial losses and hardships for their members.
Among the demands that remain unmet are calls for all construction projects in Odisha to be awarded exclusively to local contractors. Additionally, the association has expressed dissatisfaction with the current contracting rules, which they argue have prevented them from securing contracts at fair rates. They are advocating for the implementation of standardized schedule rates to ensure equitable opportunities for all contractors across the state.
Despite the serious allegations and the FIR, there has been no public response from Naveen Patnaik, the accused BJD leaders, or Vir Vikram Yadav regarding these accusations. The association remains steadfast in their pursuit of justice and equitable treatment for all contractors in Odisha.
(With inputs from agencies)
