Our Correspondent /
In an allegation that never haunted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress party today accused him of practicing ‘nepotism’. The party asked PM of propriety of the allocation of 250 acres of public land next to ‘Gir Lion Sanctuary’ in Gujarat.
“Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as Chief Minister of Gujarat, allowed nepotism, conflict of interest and brazen plundering of public land to promote commercial and business interests of entities closely connected to the kin of the then Revenue Minister & present Chief Minister of Gujarat, Smt. Anandi Ben Patel” said party spokesman Aanad Sharma.
Party demanded immediate resignation of Gujarat CM from her post and accused the PM Modi of turning a blind eye towards this shady land deal.
party said that the allotment of 250 acres of government land next to ‘Gir Lion Sanctuary’ without any valuation or price determination for a pittance was in gross violation of all known procedures and regulations governing allocation of public land in eco sensitive zones, allowing purchase of agricultural land by non-agriculturists as also ‘change of land use’ of agricultural land for profiteering and commercial exploitation.
“Was proper valuation or price determination for this government land done? What was the criteria for allotment of land to a company having no experience or knowledge of setting up resorts? Was Narendra Modi aware of the loss caused to State exchequer”? asked Sharma further questiong that was Mr Modi aware of clear conflict of interest of the then Revenue Minister, Mrs. Anandi Ben Patel while allocating the said land?
“Was this allocation based on a Cabinet decision and endorsed by Chief Minister and whether conflict of interest, if any was disclosed”? he asked.
Congress alleged that in the year 2010, Gujarat government allotted 250 acres of land next to ‘Gir Lion Sanctuary’ in Village Patla, District Amreli to Wildwoods Resorts & Realties Private Limited (WWR) for setting up a resort. This land was allotted at a price of Rs.15/- per square metre i.e. Rs.60,000/- per acre. Total price of the land, thus, came to only Rs.1.5 crore. This project was to be completed within five years of allotment as per the final Letter of Allotment dated 27.10.2010 issued by Collector, Amreli.
Estimated market price of this land was to the tune of Rs.50 lakh per acre i.e. a total of Rs.125 crore for 250 acres.