Addressing a press conference in Raipur, Congress leader Shrikumar Menon said the government owed the people clear answers on the choice of land, demolition of existing structures and alleged misuse of public funds. He alleged that the controversy surrounding the Nalanda Part-2 project reflected administrative arbitrariness and poor planning.

Menon claimed that a youth hub constructed under the Smart City project had been wrongly declared illegal over the past three to four years, confusing the public. He said statements made by the Urban Administration Minister in the state Assembly had already clarified that the youth hub was built in accordance with rules. “Despite this, the structure was demolished after being labelled illegal, which amounts to deceiving the public,” Menon said.

According to the Congress, the demolition of the youth hub—built at a cost of ₹7–8 crore—resulted in the loss of livelihoods for nearly 300 to 400 people. Menon questioned whether Minister Arun Sao or MLA Rajesh Moonat would take responsibility for providing alternative employment to those affected. He also asked whether any public representative had assessed the current condition of the displaced shopkeepers.

The party further sought accountability over the expenditure incurred on the demolished structure. “Who will compensate for the crores of rupees spent from taxpayers’ money?” Menon asked, naming Smart City officials, former MP Sunil Soni, former MLA Brijmohan Agrawal and others as stakeholders who must clarify their role. He described the approval to demolish a public asset funded by tax revenue as a serious issue.

Congress also raised concerns about the location selected for Nalanda Part-2. The party pointed out that land near Nalanda Part-1 was already identified and available, questioning why construction was not undertaken there. It warned that building the facility along the GE Road could worsen traffic congestion and pose safety risks.

Challenging the ruling party to respond publicly, Congress leaders called for an open debate. Menon said if Arun Sao and Rajesh Moonat had “moral courage,” they should address these questions before the people of Raipur and the media. He added that a public discussion would bring the facts to light and allow citizens to judge who had misled them.

The state government has not yet issued a formal response to the allegations.