Odisha MLA Demands Return of Vedanta University Land

Senior Odisha Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded the return of land acquired for Vedanta University to the original owners. The project, initiated in 2006 by the BJD-BJP government and the Anil Agarwal Foundation, was halted due to local opposition. Courts have declared the land acquisition illegal.

Senior Odisha Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati on Saturday urged the government to return the land acquired for establishing a private university to its original owners.

In 2006, the BJD-BJP coalition government had allocated land to the Anil Agarwal Foundation to set up Vedanta University near the Puri-Konark Marine Drive. However, the project stalled due to opposition from local farmers and legal challenges.

During the assembly session, Bahinipati called on Speaker Surama Padhy to instruct the state government to return the land, citing orders from the Orissa High Court and the Supreme Court, which termed the land acquisition illegal.

(With inputs from agencies.)