BJP leader says land-grab case politically motivated

Dwivedi said he has apprised BJP state president Ajay Bhatt, party state in-charge Shyam Jaju, and organisation secretary Shiv Prakash about the matter.

Uttarakhand BJP leader and former Terai Seeds Corporation chairman Hemant Dwivedi has called a land-encroachment case, filed against him in Haldwani, as politically motivated, denying that he had threatened the person who lodged the case.

Dwivedi, considered close to former chief minister and Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, said he had written a secret letter to party bosses eight months ago, saying that some people were targeting him – a hint at factionalism in the Uttarakhand BJP unit. (HT FILE (REPRESENTATIVE PIC))

Dwivedi’s hotel is situated adjacent to a piece of land owned by the person, Jitendra Singh ‘Sunny’, in Bhimtal. Sunny of Niliyam Colony in Haldwani, who runs a hosiery shop, lodged the case with the Haldwani police, alleging that Dwivedi has encroached upon his 1.5 naalis of land in Bhimtal. A bigha of land consists of 4 naalis.

“My hotel was constructed two and a half years ago. This person Sunny, whom I have not met for a couple of years, has now lodged a complaint in Bhotiyan Padao police station. The worst part is that the police complaint mentions me as a BJP leader, showing that the entire matter is politically motivated,” said Dwivedi.

“I had bought the land in 1997 and that person bought land in 2011. I am collecting documents and facts after which I will conduct a press conference,” said the former state minister who had unsuccessfully tried to get a BJP ticket for the Lalkuan assembly seat last year.

Dwivedi, considered close to former chief minister and Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, said he had written a secret letter to party bosses eight months ago, saying that some people were targeting him – a hint at factionalism in the Uttarakhand BJP unit.

He said he has apprised BJP state president Ajay Bhatt, party state in-charge Shyam Jaju, and organisation secretary Shiv Prakash about the matter.

Refuting factionalism, Gajraj Singh Bisht, general secretary of Uttarakhand BJP, said, “It is a case between two individuals and we are concerned that Hemant is not victimised. Law must take its own course and whoever is guilty must be brought to book.”

Congress leader Sumit Hridyesh claimed that the case has brought to fore factionalism in the BJP. “There are several power centres within the BJP and they are trying to dominate each other,” he said.