Varanasi BJP leader's 'illegal' office bulldozed after residents' complaint

An allegedly illegal construction at a housing society belonging to a local BJP leader was bulldozed by the district administration here on Thursday.

The women of the society had complained to the administration about the illegal construction by the BJP leader and had also protested against this illegal construction two days ago.

Satya Prakash Singh alias Akhand Singh, BJP's district unit vice president, was accused of encroaching the society's land.

He had secretly got an illegal construction done in the Varuna Enclave Society of Sikraul which was demolished in the presence of police and authority officials following the instructions of the vice-chairman of the Authority, zonal officer of Varanasi Development Authority (VDA), Parmanand Yadav said.

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VDA vice chairperson Isha Duhan said a room was built illegally occupying a portion of the Varuna Enclave Society, against which a complaint was given to the authority in the first week of June.

The authority's team had gone to the spot and investigated the matter after which orders for demolition were given, terming the construction as illegal, she said.

Alleging that the BJP leader opened his office at the place where there was the colony gate earlier, the complainants said that during the widening of the road, the boundary wall of the society had to be demolished and later Akhand Singh made his office on the land that was lying vacant.

The women residents of the society said they were inspired in their protest against the BJP leader by the Yogi government’s action against Shrikant Tyagi.

Earlier this week, authorities bulldozed allegedly illegal constructions built in a Noida society by Shrikant Tyagi, who has claimed to be associated with the BJP.

The party, however, has denied having any links with him.

Tyagi has been under the spotlight since a video of his row with a woman became viral online, in which he is seen berating, abusing, and shoving her during an argument over encroachment inside the society.

Speaking about the demolition in Varanasi, senior Congress leader and former MLA Ajay Rai said that the place where illegal construction was done by the BJP leader, is right adjacent to the development authority office.

Till now no official or BJP leader had looked into it. It was only when the local women started protesting, the development authority came forward and took action, Rai said.