After cancelling the lease deed of land allotted to Patanjali Yogapeeth at Sadhupul in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh government took possession on the land. Heavy police force was deployed to prevent any untoward incident at the site.
Around a dozen officials from Solan district, including SP Ramesh Chandra Chhajta and sub-divisional magistrate and hundreds of police personnel, had reached Patanjali Yogapeeth complex afternoon. They served the order of district magistrate Meera Mohanty to the complex’s authorities after which the premises were vacated. The process of taking over the possession was completed by 5pm.
State incharge of Patanjali Yogapeeth and Bharat Swabhiman Trust Lakhmi Dutt Sharma said that despite the government taking possession of the land, Ramdev will visit Sadhupul on February 27 as scheduled. Patanjali Yogpeeth has already mad clear to approach court against the Himachal Pradesh government order.
Revenue Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said that Congress Govt is not against Ramdev, but Govt is adamant on its stance of probing all ‘shady’ land deals of the previous Prem Kumar Dhumal regime. He added that it is only the beginning.
Thakur said that Patanjali Yogapeeth land lease was illegal as land worth several crores of rupees was given on lease for 99 years for just a paltry sum of Rs 17,31,214. He said that the original power of attorney for executing the deed was with Balkrishan, who further authorised Lalit Mohan to sign the deed, which was illegal. He reiterated that the land could not be leased out for commercial activities like manufacturing of ayurvedic formulations as it was gifted by Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala to the Punjab government specifically for the benefit of children.
Revenue Minister said that Ramdev could come forward and plead his case and the government would settle everything in accordance with law without any prejudice.
Kaul Singh said it was not only the question of Ramdev’s land, but also about the Dhumal government having put the state “on sale” and there were several instances of people with no ostensible source of income purchasing huge chunks of land and paying even Rs 6 to Rs 7 lakh as stamp fee. Most of such cases were in Solan district and, intriguingly some of the persons were from Hamirpur district.
He said that the government was committed to probe and expose the tentacles of the land mafia.
