The Hindu : New Delhi News : Probe ordered into `allotment of land' to Sangh Parivar outfits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 17, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Probe ordered into `allotment of land' to Sangh Parivar outfits

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 16. The Union Urban Development Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, yesterday ordered an inquiry into the alleged allotment of land by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) to various social, cultural, educational and religious institutions, mostly RSS-affiliated outfits, in the capital during the last five years of BJP rule.

``It is, hereby, ordered that on the allotments made to social, cultural, religious and other institutions since 1998-99, no further action such as handing over possession, signing of lease deed, issuance of NOC for various purposes, extension of time would be taken till the inquiry is completed and further course of action is decided,'' an order of the Ministry said.

One-man panel

A retired IAS officer, Yogesh Chandra, would head the one-man inquiry committee that has been asked to submit its report within two months.

The inquiry comes close on the heels of the uproar in Parliament and various organisations alleging non-adherence to prescribed norms and procedures in allotment of land in some cases.

The Congress MLA from Delhi, Mahabal Mishra, had also written to Mr. Azad in this regard. The allottees include organisations headed by some former Ministers in the NDA Government and those that mushroomed overnight which were allegedly allotted land in violation of all norms and regulations.

Sources said there were also instances of allotment of more than one plot to some RSS-backed organisations.

For instance, 205 plots were allotted during the last five years, 110 of them during 2001-02.

In some cases, the allotments were made after demolishing buildings. Many allottees have not taken possession, and construction activity has not begun where it has been, indicating speculative gains as the motive. Sources said no transparent procedure was followed in allotment of land and in some cases one RSS-backed organisation was allegedly given six plots, while another headed by a former Union Minister of the BJP was given five.

Terms of reference

The terms of reference of the Committee include a review of all cases of land allotted by the L&DO to social, cultural, religious, educational institutions since 1998-99 and till date with reference to the prevailing procedure for allotment of land; recommendation of action in cases where deviations from the prescribed procedure or fulfilment of conditions of allotment were observed and suggestion of guidelines for allotment of land in future by the L&DO office in a fair, objective and transparent manner.

The L&DO has been asked to place all records before the Committee and assist it in the inquiry.

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