Congress government sold land illegally for mining purpose, alleges BJP

Dehradun, Aug 27: The BJP today accused the Congress-led Uttarakhand government of playing into the hands of mining mafia and said it had illegally sold land in the embankment areas of rivers at some places for the purpose of mining to third parties causing huge losses to the exchequer.

Alleging a scam worth crores of rupees in the deals clinched with the mining mafia, state BJP President Tirath Singh Rawat demanded a high-level probe into the "shady" manner in which such land had been disposed off at various places in the state.

Talking to reporters here, Tirath named Vikasnagar, Kalsi and Bajpur as the places where such shady deals had been struck.

Citing existing rules, Tirath said privately owned land in the embankment areas of rivers become government land due to their inundation during floods but the state government does not have the right to sell them.

"However, in violation of the rules these lands have been sold off to third parties through underhand agreements by top government functionaries," the state BJP chief said, demanding a probe either by an SIT or an outside investigating agency into the alleged deals.

Commenting on the sting CD episode in which the Congress has dared the BJP to make the original CD and tools used in it available to the party so that they could be sent for forensic examination, Tirath said it had been submitted to Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul who should be approached by the ruling party if it was keen to act against people featured in the CD.

Asked to clear the air as to whether the original CD was with BJP or the Governor, Tirath said it was with the Governor.

BJP incharge for Uttarakhand Shyam Jaju had recently told reporters here that the CD was still with the party.

PTI