Congress moves court over land given to Ramdev
Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Bombay High Court alleging that the Maharashtra and the Union governments have handed over a prime plot to Ramdev Baba at throwaway price.
The PIL filed through advocate Ashok Saraogi has contended that the land in question at Mihan in Nagpur district is owned by the state government. The petition claims that the plot measures nearly 600 acres.
“The land in question has been marked as forest land and/or land meant for preservation of the forests and as such no development activities can be permitted on it,” the petition reads. The petition has pleaded with Union minister Nitin Gadkari and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as parties along with Ramdev Baba.
The petition states that the government is under obligation to dispose of the said land at the prevailing market rate and that too after complying with all the legal formalities as required under the provisions of law.
“Ramdev Baba and Balkrishna are closely associated with the political party known as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accordingly are part and parcel of the said party. It is not in dispute that both the state and central government is ruled by BJP. The respondents (Gadkari and Fadnavis) have favoured Ramdev Baba in allotting this plot,” the petition alleges.
According to the petition, the land’s market rate now is Rs 1 crore per acre but it is handed over to Ramdev Baba, merely at a rate of Rs 25 lakh an acre.
In his petition, Nirupam has sought prosecution of all the respondents (Gadkari, Fadnavis and Ramdev) if his contentions are proved. He has also sought a temporary prayer of restrain the state and central government from handing over the land to Ramdev Baba.
Activist moves right commission
A city activist has filed a formal complaint with the State Human Rights Commission against the ‘horrifying’ treatment given to thousands of police force aspirants.
The letter written by activist Kamlakar Shenoy comes after a city-based tabloid published a news article highlighting the treatment given to nearly 6000 aspirants.
According to the news article, these aspirants who had come down to Mumbai from various parts of Maharashtra were compelled to sleep on the streets in Vikhroli. The article also claimed that there were no basic facilities like sanitation and drinking for these aspirants. Taking a cognizance of the article, Shenoy has approached the Human Rights Commission seeking a direction to the Maharashtra government to provide all required facilities.