E-Paper
Nitish under fire over land 'gifts'
Pandemonium prevailed in the Bihar assembly on Wednesday as the Opposition stalled proceedings over allotment of government land to relatives of some leaders of the ruling alliance and bureaucrats.
Pandemonium prevailed in the Bihar assembly on Wednesday as the Opposition stalled proceedings over allotment of government land to relatives of some leaders of the ruling alliance and bureaucrats.
As the day’s session began, Opposition members trooped into the well of the house, demanding that these allotments by the Bihar Industrial Area Development Agency (BIADA) be cancelled.
Shouting slogans, they also demanded that chief minister Nitish Kumar step down and a CBI probe be ordered into the allotments.
“If there is nothing wrong in the allotment of land to family members of the ruling alliance leaders, why is Nitish Kumar unwilling to hand over the probe to the CBI?” leader of the Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui said.
RJD leader Siddiqui said the Opposition would not remain silent until a CBI probe was ordered.
He said the beneficiaries included ministers and legislators of the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition.
“The government land was virtually gifted to them at throwaway prices, which is an illegal act.”
As Opposition members refused to budge, speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary adjourned the house till noon. In the post-lunch session, the Opposition staged a walkout.
BIADA, which allots land for industrial units, has allotted 1,200 plots.
According to its website, 87,120 square feet of land in Bihia industrial area has been allotted to Rahmat Fatima, daughter of social welfare minister Parveen Amanullah and water resources department principal secretary Afzal Amanullah. The plot is for setting up a squash, syrup and sattu powder unit.
The CM ordered chief secretary Anup Mukerjee to conduct an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the allotments.
“I have ordered a probe and action will be taken against guilty if the allegations are found true,” Kumar said.
Stay updated Bihar Lok Sabha Result and with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Bengaluru. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more across India . Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
