Lucknow, Aug 7 (IANS) A sprawling bungalow in Lucknow’s posh Mall Avenue saw dramatic developments Friday evening when it was surrounded by bulldozers and a large battery of local officials, all ready to pull it down. The owner, an advocate, has accused the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of “plotting” to grab his prime property.
As word spread about the demolition plan, some TV channels and photo journalists descended on the spot, compelling the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) officials to beat a hasty retreat.

The owner, Chaudhary Khalid Abdullah, said he was stunned when a “back-dated” order (dated July 22) announcing cancellation of his nearly century-old lease was pasted on his gate Friday afternoon. He said his lease has not expired yet and hinted he would approach the court for a stay.

He has accused the government of “plotting a case to grab the property”. “Some top officials of the government and a prominent political functionary have been after me to sell my property in the name of a BSP outfit. And because I refused to concede to their demand, I am being hounded and harassed in this manner,” Abdullah told reporters at night.

The Lucknow Development Authority officials were armed with a demolition order signed by the authority vice chairman.

According to a source, the owner was charged with letting out the lawns of the bungalow for weddings and parties in violation of the terms of the lease. This was found to be sufficient ground to cancel the lease.

Asked to comment, a senior LDA official told IANS: “There is no intention to grab anybody’s house. All that we have done is to cancel the garden lease of the bungalow, as the open lawns were being misused for commercial purposes.”

The BSP and Mayawati are reported to have transferred nearly 250,000 sq ft of land in the Mall Avenue area in the names of in-house party outfits ever since the party rode to power in May 2007.