Puri: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday launched a digital signature campaign to intensify its agitation against the alleged sale of Bagala Dharmashala land in the Holy City here.
The saffron party also launched a mobile app to accept online petitions on the alleged land sale from public. BJP state unit president Samir Mohanty launched the app in the presence of senior party leaders.
The newly-launched app has detailed information on Bagala Dharmashala in three languages—Odia, Hindi and English.
As per the information provided in the app, thousands of devotees had faced difficulties in getting shelter facility during Rath Yatra in 1899. Then many pilgrims had died in an epidemic. Considering the plight of devotees, Kanheiyalal Bagala, a benevolent person, had donated Rs 35,000 to then Health Commissioner for setting up of a shelter for devotees. Bagala Dharmashala was then constructed on around three acre land. The saffron party has asked the state government to cancel the land sale deeds with six persons and renovate the shelter by utlilising the money sanctioned by the Centre.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said that his party would use social media to intensify its stir over Bagala Dharmashala.
Puri Collector Balwant Singh, however, said the administration has rehabilitated some evicted persons of the heritage corridor project on 12 per cent of Bagala Dharmashala land. “Henceforth, no one would be rehabilitated on the land,” said the Puri Collector.