Congress questions PM’s silence on Gujarat land deal issue

The Congress has demanded the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Ben Patel and explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over an alleged allotment of 250 acres of government land to the kin of the Chief Minister.

A number of transactions happened between Patel, who describes herself as a social worker and an entrepreneur, and her associates when the Gujarat government allotted 250 acres at Rs 0.15 per square metre to the company they owned, the ET report said, citing filings with the Registrar of Companies. Anandiben Patel became the chief minister when he became Prime Minister in May 2014.

“Was this allocation based on a Cabinet decision and endorsed by Chief Minister and whether conflict of interest, if any was disclosed”? he asked.

Accusing the state government of giving away land worth Rs 125 crore for only Rs 1.5 crore to a firm that allegedly has links with Anar Patel, Sharma said: “Shocking revelations in the public domain make it abundantly clear that Modi as chief minister of Gujarat allowed nepotism, conflict of interest and brazen plunder of public land to promote business interests of entities closely connected to the daughter of then revenue minister and current chief minister Anandiben Patel”.

Congress has latched on to a controversy surrounding Anar Patel, daughter of Gujarat chief Minister Anandiben Patel, to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In her Facebook post yesterday also, Anar claimed that whatever she did was in “righteous manner”.

“I get hurt when people have assumptions and judgements for one’s morality”, she said. I strongly believe that to do ethical business with social morality is everyone’s right,”her previous post had stated”.

“The company then purchased adjoining agricultural land measuring 172 acres taking the total of land owned by it to 422 acres”.

“We demand that an SIT monitored by Supreme Court be established for a time-bound probe in the entire matter”.

He claimed one of the original promoters of the company and its present owners are Anar’s business partners.

Sharma alleged that since non-farmers are not permitted to purchase agricultural land, the company was granted permission to purchase private agricultural land. In March, 2011, the state government permitted conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural as purchased by the company.

Anandiben retains Gujarat’s revenue portfolio. “For a fair probe, the Gujarat chief minister must also resign”, Sharma added.

A report in The Economic Times Friday said business associates of Anar Patel, Dakshesh Shah and Amol Shripal Sheth own Wildwoods Resorts and Realties, which was allotted 400 acre near Gir Sanctuary.

The allotment he said was “in gross violation of all known procedures and regulations governing allocation of public land in ecosensitive zones”.