Sttestimes: J& K: Sunday, February 19, 2017.
Urging upon the BJP to ensure probity within its own flock, the JKNPP accused a BJP MLA and his father of huge encroachment of State land and forest lands in Majalta Tehsil of District Udhampur.
Briefing media persons here on Saturday, Provincial President JKNPP, Rajesh Padgotra produced the relevant documents before the media revealing the encroachment of huge State land measuring 22 Kanals and 15 Marlas by BJP MLA from Ramnagar, R.S Pathania and his father B.S Pathania.
“The State land which falls in Khasra No 1741 of Kail Majalta is shown to be under the possession of the father son duo in the RTI reply provided by the concerned revenue officers to the State Legal Aid Committee,” he said, adding that not only the encroachment of State land but the said MLA and his family have been accused of huge destruction of forest wealth besides encroachments of forest lands.
The other lands he said, shown to be in the possession of the said family in the reply excluding the State land is 237 Kanals which can’t be held by a single family under the Agrarian Reforms Act which prescribes a ceiling of 12 and half standard acres i.e 100 Kanals.
The un-authorized possession of additional 137 Kanals over and above the permissible holding of 100 Kanals too ought to have been retrieved from the said family but for the political influence and proximity to corridors of power which provide full shelter for such egregious acts to the politically connected offenders, he lamented.
Padgotra said that earlier last week on 3rd Feb, 2017 a huge protest demonstration was held at Khoon Majalta where dozens of Ex-Sarpanchs, Panchs and other prominent notables of the area “Gheraod” the officers of Forest Deptt and held a sit in on Dhar road seeking action against the said MLA for having illegally smuggled huge quantity of deodar scants and used the same for construction of his newly constructed Bunglow at Kail Majalta. They had disclosed in full public view to the Forest Deptt Officers including DFO concerned and Deputy Director Forest Protection Force that huge stock of illegal deodar scants was stored by the said MLA in his new bunglow and had sought of inspection his premises so as to catch the offender red handed.
He regretted that the forest officers gave lame excuses and avoided to inspect the premises of the MLA thus allowing him sufficient time to remove the illegal deodar scants from his newly constructed house to unknown destination.
Padgotra revealed that the said BJP MLA made several speeches during elections projecting
himself as the poorest candidate having only Rs. 15,000 as cash liquidity and it was therefore amazing to watch him rise from rags to riches within a period of two years with a palatial bunglow, luxury vehicles and other luxurious items of house hold being raised by him together with a luxurious life style.
Padgotra further pointed out that the RTI replies from Horticulture and Agriculture Departments revealed that the said BJP MLA withdrew the subsides and incentives meant for the poor and the BPL families from the said departments in the name of his father thus providing the highest example of political debauchery, corruption and abuse of position and authority.
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