Patna: Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday denounced the ruling Janata Dal (United) government in Bihar for the inauguration of a shopping mall by Mokama MLA, Anant Singh, notwithstanding an adverse order of the Patna Municipal Corporation and directives of the Building Tribunal.

In a statement Sushil Modi, who was very much in the Nitish cabinet when the work started in that same mall, said that Anant Singh is considered as the right hand man of former chief minister Nitish Kumar. Thus he has given a damn to an order of Patna Municipal Corporation and Building Tribunal and inaugurated a shopping mall built by him in the heart of the state capital.

He said that this is enough to prove that the state is witnessing return of Jungle Raj.

Anant Singh inaugurated his multi-storeyed shopping complex near Dak Bunglow road here on Friday evening despite an order from Patna Municipal Corporation and directives of the Building Tribunal banning its use.

It needs to be recalled that the PMC had issued orders for demolition of three floors of the mall and complete razing of the annexe for violating building bylaws.

The Building Tribunal had upheld the Corporation orders and did not give any relief to Anant Singh.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj had on Thursday ordered lodging of FIR against the builder and stopping its inauguration.

However, political observers are surprised over the stand now being taken by Sushil Kumar Modi as the work for the mall started when 11 BJP ministers were holding powerful portfolios in the same Nitish cabinet. They were sacked only on June 16, 2013. Besides, this is not the only case of illegal occupation by Anant Singh in the last nine years.

Even during the Jungle Raj years never was any mall inaugurated in the heart of Patna throwing all norms and rules to the wind, commented an analyst who wished not to be quoted.