Hyderabad, November 05: The State Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association has demanded that the Centre immediately sack the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Chavan, for his complicity in the Adarsh Housing Society scam.
Speaking to the media here on Thursday, the founder-president of the Association, Mr A Rangaiah Goud, said that Mr Ashok Chavan committed “treason” by allotting flats in the Kolaba Apartments meant for the kin of Kargil war martyrs, to his relatives and government officials. For this heinous crime, cases should be booked and arrested, he said and demanded that the controversial flats should be allotted to the eligible kin of the Kargil war martyrs.
Stating that the kin of Kargil war soldiers and many poor soldiers in the State did not have own houses, Mr Rangaiah Goud demanded that the State government respond and allot houses for them. He also said that despite the pathetic living conditions of many ex servicemen, the State government did nothing for their well-being. Mr Goud said that although there was a directorate for the welfare of ex-servicemen in the State, no authentic information was available regarding the funds and welfare schemes meant for them. In the name of Flag Day on December 7 every year, donations worth lakhs of rupees were being received from the people, businessmen and industrialists. But nobody knows where all this money goes, he observed. He said that it was unfortunate that no committee was formed so far to look into this. Even the Governor, Chief Minister or the Home Minister never cared to find out truth.
Mr Rangaiah alleged that despite allotting 46 acres in Jawaharnagar under Shamirpet mandal in 2001 for 970 ex-service men who did not have own houses, they have not yet received pattas. He also recalled that the late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had assured to get them houses. After YSR’s tragic death, they met the Chief Minister, Mr K Rosaiah, and the Ranga Reddy district Collector in this matter. He said that the government upheld their contention and got the land surveyed by the MRO of Shamirpet. After talking to the Collector, the local MP, Mr Surve Satyanarayana, assured them that houses would be built for them soon. He advised all the ex-service men not having own houses, to consult the Association at Alwal.
He also opined that an MLC seat should be earmarked for the ex service men so that they would be able to look after their issues, besides assisting the State government.
The Association vice-president Mr Jacob, the general secretary, Mr V Sivaji, the joint secretary, Mr K M Padmanabhan, the Treasurer, Mr T Thomas Reddy and the members, Mr Vijay Prakash, Mr Venkatswamy, Ms Amaravani and Ms Laxmibai also spoke.
Earier, the Association members burnt an effigy of Mr Ashok Chavan and shouted slogans demanding his dismissal and arrest.
——–NSS