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Chief minister Arjun Munda with his deputies Hemant Soren and Sudesh Mahto and other cabinet colleagues in the Assembly on Friday and (below) JVM’s Pradeep Yadav stages a sit-in to protest against alleged illegal transfer of land to Abhijeet Group. Pictures by Prashant Mitra |
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Ranchi, Aug. 31: JVM today sought to corner the state government on the opening day of the monsoon session of the Assembly by citing a controversy over alleged wrongful transfer of land to an industrial house, but chief minister Arjun Munda maintained his government was ready to answer all questions in the House, provided the Opposition raised them in a democratic way.
JVM legislature party leader Pradeep Yadav began today’s proceedings on a belligerent note, launching a hunger strike to protest against alleged irregular transfer of land to Abhijheet Group in Seraikela-Kharsawan district, an issue he had raised in the House last year in September.
But, parliamentary affairs minister Hemlal Murmu and leader of the Opposition Rajendra Prasad Singh persuaded him to call off his proposed agitation and participate in the Assembly discussion.
In a petition to the Speaker, Yadav demanded that contempt proceedings be initiated against the land revenue minister and the council of ministers for not adhering to their own submissions in the House. He cited several other instances when the government had reneged on assurances given in the Assembly.
On September 9 last year, Yadav alleged that Abhijeet Infrastructure Limited and Corporate Ispat Alloys Limited had illegally occupied over 151 acre land in Kharsawan circle. In reply, land revenue minister Mathura Prasad Mahto had assured him that an inquiry committee by a special secretary would be formed to examine the issue and the companies would be asked to vacate the land if illegality was established.
Subsequently, during the budget session on March 3, the minister admitted that the JVM complaint was correct and that the Seraikela-Kharsawan deputy commissioner would be asked to take appropriate action.
On March 21, the land revenue department asked the Seraikela-Kharsawan deputy commissioner to evict encroachers from the plots. The DC then passed on orders to the Kharsawan circle officer.
However, the JVM alleged that on June 14, the cabinet resolved to lease out 44.54 acre land in question to Abhijeet Group. “Why isn’t the cabinet taking similar decisions in case of land where the poor had set up settlements? This government is a puppet in the hands of capitalists,” Yadav said.
The chief minister maintained his government had not done any wrong. “My government is ready to answer every question on the floor of the House, provided these are being raised in a democratic way and according to set norms. We haven’t erred anywhere.”
The Assembly, which would meet again on Monday, condoled the deaths of several notables including Vilas Rao Deshmukh, Mrinal Gore, Laxmi Sahgal, Rajesh Khanna, Dara Singh and A.K. Hangal.
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