Opposition demands CBI probe in Bihar land deals
July 20th, 2011 - 6:19 pm ICT by IANS
Patna, July 20 (IANS) Opposition members in the Bihar assembly Wednesday demanded resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allotment of land to family members of the ruling alliance leaders.
The state assembly was adjourned twice after slogan shouting opposition members trooped into the well of the house, demanding immediate cancellation of the allotment.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Leader of Opposition in the assembly, said the opposition will not remain silent till a CBI probe is ordered.
“If there was nothing wrong in allotment of land to family members of the ruling alliance leaders, why is Nitish Kumar reluctant to hand over the probe to CBI?” he asked.
Siddiqui said the government had allotted factory plots of the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) to sons and daughters of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
The beneficiaries included ministers and legislators, and they all got the plots in violation of rules, he said.
“The government land was virtually gifted to them at throwaway prices. It was an illegal act,” Siddiqui said.
According to BIADA website, a government agency that allots land for industrial units, it has given 87,120 square feet of land to the daughter of Human Resource Development Minister P.K. Shahi.
It also gave 15,500 square feet land to JD-U MP Jagdish Sharma’s son and 87,120 square feet land to the daughter of Social Welfare Minister Perveen Amanullah who is the wife of senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Afzal Amanullah.
A close relative of former BJP legislator, Awdhesh Narayan Singh got 21,7800 square feet while BJP legislator Ashok Agarwal’s son Saurabh Agarwal was given two huge plots.
Mangni Lal Mandal, leader of the Bihar Nav Nirman Manch, a new political outfit floated by JD-U rebels, said the scam exposed Nitish Kumar’s claims of providing good governance.
“Nitish Kumar is directly responsible for this land scam,” said Mandal, a suspended JD-U MP.
Under attack, Nitish Kumar Tuesday ordered a probe into the land allotment issue.
“I have ordered a probe by the chief secretary and action will be taken against guilty if the allegations are found true,” said Nitish Kumar, who has zealously guarded his reputation as a clean politician.
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Tags: alliance leaders, amanullah, ashok agarwal, bharatiya janata party, biada, bjp leaders, cbi probe, central bureau of investigation, feet land, human resource development, indian administrative service, jagdish sharma, land deals, leader of opposition, nirman, opposition members, political outfit, siddiqui, social welfare minister, throwaway prices