Haven’t grabbed land, will follow govt rules: Hema Malini

Bilkulonline.com, Mumbai, Feb 1: BJP Lok Sabha member and former Bollywood star Hema Malini, who is now at the centre of a row over the allotment of a plot for her dance academy, on Monday denied allegations of indulging in “land-grabbing”.

The website quoted her as saying, “I’m not grabbing some land. I don’t know why an issue is made out of it”, she said.

She dismissed the information revealed by RTI activist Anil Galgali, claiming that she neither knows the exact price of the land nor the payment she has to make to the Maharashtra government. “It is not that I have got the land just like that… easily…It has been a struggle of 20 years”.

Opposing this allotment of land to the Mathura lawmaker, Galgali said, “Not only that, this is the second time Hema Malini has been allotted a prime plot in the Mumbai suburbs. I will pay according to the governmental rules and regulations and whatever they say is right”.

The prime plot measuring around 2,000 square metres was allotted to the Natyavihar Kala Kendra Charitable Trust for her proposed dance academy and a cultural hub, besides developing a public garden.

On being asked whether it is ethically correct to pay Rs 40,000 for a land worth Rs 7 crore, she replied, “If the plot is allotted to me then comes the question of paying”.

Hema also made it clear that even if the cost is Rs 70 crore she will pay and purchase the land.

“The government should take back the land”.

The actress also clarified that she would only be using 2000 sq metres out of the 29360 sqt meters of land for her dance academy. “The land has not been given to me yet”. The place is going to be the pride of the area. “I have to now get everything organised”, she added.

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