Ashok Gehlot demands CM's resignation, CBI probe in land scam

Jaipur, Nov 20 (UNI) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today levelled fresh charges that the allotment of land to the Deen Dayal Upadyayaya Trust was getting murkier on each passing day with fresh evidence coming out of the illegal manner in which the land was allotted to the trust presided over by the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje herself.

Mr Gehlot said that the land was allotted to the trust even before the trust was formed and sought the resignation of Ms Raje and a CBI enquiry into the land scam.

According to the documents Mr. Ashok Parmani, the Jaipur Mayor and one of the trustees, applied for 10,000 sq meters of land from the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) claiming that the ''trust is carrying on activities of public service'' on March 12, 2005.

But the trust deed was executed with settler ( Ms Raje) according to JDA records on April 14 about one month later setting aside Rs 11 lakh (though in the income tax returns the figure is only Rs 1 lakh).

According to section 11 of the deed ''the president of the trust would be Vasundhara Raje and thereafter her nominee - if no nominee- then heir to the president''. The Congress leader said thus ''the chief minister virtually allotted the land to herself and the trust is not of the BJP or RSS as is being propagated''. He asked the BJP and RSS leaders to clarify on the issue.

The former Chief Minister said the land and building committee of the JDA acting on the application of Ashok Parnami decided to allot 6434.75 sq metre of land (plot No G-1)in Residency Area near Civil Lines railway crossing to the trust for Rs. 7,38,38,857 on July 4 last year.

The Congress leader said the application in prescribed form land submitted by Mr Parnami mentions that the trust has 'applied for' registration and the column regarding 3 years balance sheet kept blank.

The application forwarded by the JDA to the state government for concurrence on August 9 last year mentions that the allotment was issued on the concurrence of chairman and Minister for Urban Development Pratap Singh Singhvi.

The government meanwhile by a circular empowered the cabinet committee to relax conditions of eligibility. The cabinet committe consisting of Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, Forests Minister Laxmi Narayan Dave, Health Minister Digamber Singh and Mr Singhvi on June 6-7 2006 approved the land allotment at 5 percent of the reserved price.

The JDA waved the interest and penalty due from the trust ''considering the social status of the trust, interest and penalty is waived'' and allotted the land to the trust on August 22 2006 for Rs 36,19,546.80.

Mr Gehlot sought intervention of the BJP high command and demanded the cancellation of the land allotment as it was gross misuse of power.

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