The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) has stirred controversy by constructing a rest center in Ootukuzhi, Thiruvananthapuram, using stones collected by the municipality after the Atukal Pongal festival.
It was earlier said that the stones will be used for the government’s housing project, Life Mission. However, the CPM reportedly used them to build a center for party workers.
Local residents have accused the party of misusing government resources for its own gain. The construction of the Pongala Stone Rest Center, opposite the Hantex office in Ootukuzhi, has sparked outrage among the people.
According to reports, 99 loads of flint stones were brought to Putharikandam by the municipality after the festival, but the stones in the Ootukuzhi area were deliberately left out.
The controversy deepened after locals alleged that CPM party offices were being built using the stones under the guise of the LIFE scheme. The municipal corporation had warned people against picking stones after the festival, and the mayor himself had threatened to impose fines on those who tried to collect them.
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