BJP holds event at sealed Ghaziabad farmhouse, GDA to lodge FIR against owner

The official said that they have sealed a total of 43 farmhouses and banquet halls so far after notices were served.

The Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) on Thursday said it will lodge an FIR against the farm house owner in connection with an event held by the city unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. The event was allegedly held at a farmhouse which was sealed by the authority in connection with a petition filed by Ghaziabad residents.

The GDA said it will lodge FIR in connection with an event conducted by BJP city unit at a farmhouse which was sealed earlier by the authority. (Sakib Ali/HT photo)

‘Kisan Sammelan,’ the event was attended by Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, Modi Nagar MLA Dr Manju Shivach and other BJP leaders. According to the development authority, they had already sealed the DN farmhouse, at Basantpur Sainthli, a month back and no function could be held after the notice of sealing was pasted at the premises.

“We have received information of the programme held at the farmhouse which was sealed earlier on the orders of the National Green Tribunal. After sealing, no one can enter the farmhouse. We are in the process of taking action and an FIR will be lodged soon,” said Hira Lal Yadav, executive engineer, GDA.

The official said that they have sealed a total of 43 farmhouses and banquet halls so far after notices were served.

“A number of farmhouses and banquet halls have been running in violation of norms and also running against the land use norms. The farmhouse owners have been asked to regularise as per prevailing norms. The DN farmhouse is still under sealing and has not regularised,” he added.

Sources said the entry to the farmhouse was made through a rear entry gate while the main gate of the premises was sealed. However, the city unit of the BJP denied any prior knowledge about the farmhouse being sealed where the function was hosted.

“We had no knowledge whether the farmhouse was sealed or not. Some workers from Murad Nagar may have organised the program here. Had it been a case, we would not have held the event here. We even did not notice the notice of sealing as a number of cars were parked outside the premises,” said Ajay Sharma, city president, BJP.

“Chaudhary, Manju Shivach, Verma and myself were present at the function. But none of us had any information about the sealing activity,” he added.

Recently, Ghaziabad residents Akash Vashishtha and Sushil Raghav moved into petition at the National Green Tribunal and demanded closure of party halls/banquet halls and farmhouses running in violation of norms and penal action against officials who failed to act.