Opposition seeks Eknath Shinde’s ouster for allotting Rs 83 crore Nagpur land for Rs 2 crore

NAGPUR: The opposition on Tuesday demanded resignation of chief minister Eknath Shinde for ordering the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) to lease and allot land meant for housing for the poor to 16 persons in Nagpur during his tenure as urban development minister in the then Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The opposition comprising MVA netas led by former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and MPCC president Nana Patole also staged a walkout from the assembly accusing the CM of allotting the land worth Rs 83 crore for just Rs 2 crore. “CM Shinde as urban development minister in 2021 had allegedly indulged in ‘bhukhand cha shreekhand’ (kickbacks in the land allotment),” the opposition alleged.
A PIL related to the 19,331.24 sqm land is pending in the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court. Before the opposition walkout, the CM declared in the lower house that he has cancelled the land allotment, claiming that NIT and urban development department officials had not informed him about the court case.
Taking cognizance of a series of reports in TOI over the matter, the high court had on December 14, ordered the authorities to maintain status quo.
Based on a CAG report exposing irregularities by NIT in allotment of acquired lands and public utility lands, activist Anil Wadpalliwar had filed a writ petition in the HC in 2004. In the same petition, Wadpalliwar had challenged proposed regularization of layout comprising the said land. Gilani Committee appointed by HC in the case had observed violations and loss to urban poor. The HC had appointed advocate Anand Parchure as amicus curiae.
Shinde said when he had ordered land lease to 16 persons, he was “not informed by NIT about constitution of a panel under retired judge MN Gilani”. “It was brought to my notice only on December 14 after HC’s status quo. When I gave the land allotment order, all work was online due to the pandemic. I have also received many letters from the local MLAs, including Nitin Raut, for land allotment,” he said and claimed he had not indulged in any wrongdoing.
While raising slogans against the government on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan, Patole said, “How can he (Shinde) stay in office after committing such a huge land scam and court’s observations against him? During the MVA government, the then home minister Anil Deshmukh and forest minister Sanjay Rathod had to resign soon after allegations were made against them.”
Earlier, when the matter was raised in the council Fadnavis replied that the Shinde had taken the decision in April 2021. “After the amicus curiae placed before the HC the news reports published recently, the court asked the state government to submit its response. The government then sought details from NIT which accepted that it had not informed the government about the Gilani Committee. On December 16, the government cancelled the land lease to 16 persons and submitted response in court,” said Fadnavis.
When opposition started calling it a mistake, Fadnavis responded that it would have been a mistake “only if the Gilani committee report had been on record and then the minister still went ahead with the decision”. He also said the LoP has placed on record incorrect information. “Also since the matter is in court, I don’t think the house can proceed with the discussion,” he said.
Opposition leaders stated that Fadnavis put forth his points over the matter but when they wanted to speak, “the matter became sub-judice as per the deputy CM”. After the opposition created ruckus over the matter, the house was adjourned. The opposition then left the house raising slogans against the government and demand for CM’s resignation.
Besides past and present NIT chairperson Sheetal Ugale and Manojkumar Suryawanshi, then BJP MLA Sudhakar Kohle too had objected to Shinde’s April 2021 order. “How can he (Shinde) overlook NIT chairperson’s views without checking with the department?” said NCP’s Jitendra Awhad while speaking to media.
Former CM Uddhav Thackeray said, “If the issue was as simple as deputy CM has made it out to be, then why did the HC made those remarks? Since the case has been in court for a long time, a lot of questions have been raised.”
Without naming Shinde, Thackeray said, “The person who was the minister back then, is now the CM. When it’s observed that judicial process is being hampered, then the person should not ideally remain on the post.”
MLC Anil Parab said, “Regardless of what Fadnavis has said, the fact is that there was an irregularity. That’s the reason why the government cancelled the allotment.”
Before the start of the second day of the session, senior MVA netas and legislators held a meeting at the Congress Legislature Party office to formulate a strategy. Thackeray, LoP in assembly Ajit Pawar, opposition leader in council Ambadas Danve, Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat, Patole, former CMs Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, NCP state president Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil and others were present.
On the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan, the opposition raised slogans in favour of Samyukta Maharashtra and raised slogans like ‘50 khoke ekdum okay, Gujrat la Volkswagen and Maharashtra la popcorn.” Leaders from ruling party too raised slogans against the MVA leaders who were demanding CM’s resignation and criticising BJP netas for allegedly insulting great men and saints.