Power Minister Sujan Singh Pathania and Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri have lashed out at the BJP leaders for making false and frivolous accusations against the State Government to divert public attention from their misdeeds, which were coming to fore.
Congress ministers, their joint statement, said that the lust for land of Dhumal family had crossed all levels of meanness. They did not even spare a poor person Premu, who was granted nautor land by the government, and purchased his land in violation of the provisions of the law rendering him landless.
The Ministers said that Premu was granted 592 Sq.mts of land in 1992 under the H.P Village Common Lands (Vesting & Utilisation) Scheme, 1975. The date of ‘patta’ was 7.12. 1992, whereas Mutation was done on 20.6.1993. They claimed that as per the provisions of this scheme land granted under it could not be sold within 10 years from the date of possession. However it later amended vide notification No. Rev. 2A (3)11/77 dated 9 December, 1987 and a stipulation of 20 years instead of 10 years was inserted. The other condition was that the land could not be sold as long as the wife of the allottee was alive.
Premu was allotted land in 1992/93 which was much after the amendment from 10 years to 20 years in 1987. Thus, as per applicable conditions, he could not sell the land till 2012/13. Moreover, the land could not also be sold as the wife of Premu is still alive, they added.
Pathania and Bharmouri said that the fact of the case make it amply clear that land transaction conducted between Anurag Thakur and Premu was illegal and in total violation of the provisions of the Act and Rules. Congress ministers accused Dhumal family for cheating the poor family and violated the law. It was strange that instead of admitting their unlawful act, they were now pointing fingers at the Government. It was absurd that Dhumal family was crying vendetta and victimisation, after their shady land deal has been exposed. It appears that the father and sons have hijacked the BJP unit in the State and were mobilising it to pressurise the investigating agencies and cover their misdeeds.
They said that if Dhumal and his sons really feel any wrong was being done to them they should seek legal remedy rather than agitating in the media and making unnecessary hue and cry. They were creating media hype to draw political mileage with an eye on parliamentary elections. It appeared junior Dhumal was trying to make a case for himself for the elections.
Ministers said that the present Government did not believe in the politics of vendetta and victimisation. The investigating agencies were working in a fair and free manner and if the BJP leaders had not done any wrong, they need not to fear as law will take its own course.
They said that during the tenure of BJP Government the State was virtually put on sale and a large number of benami deals had been transacted. There were many cases of benami, illegal and irregular land deals during BJP regime and the present case was just a tip of the iceberg. They said that not even a single inch of land was purchased by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh or his family members.
Congress leaders claimed that Virbhadra Singh has made immense contribution to the development of Himachal Pradesh over the last five decades and all round development and emotional integration of the State itself speaks about it. They added that he didn’t need any certificate from the BJP and Dhumal family. The all round development and emotional integration of the State itself speaks of the immense attributes of Singh to the State.
