The state Congress unit alleged on Tuesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party ,BJP) government under former chief minister Vijay Rupani changed the zoning of land belonging to Rajkot Urban Development Authority from residential to industrial, to benefit Sahara India Home Corporation.
Citing information collected through Right to Information Act (RTI), CJ Chavda, chief whip of the Congress party in Gujarat Assembly told media persons, “Corruption of Rs 500 crore has happened in this 5 lakh square feet land that belongs to RUDA (Rajkot Urban) Development Authority)… There is a nexus of officials from Sahara India Home Corporation and government officials that leads to the Chief Minister’s Office.”
The 111 acres of land involved is located in Anandpura, Maliasan and Navagam villages and was originally meant for building a township.
“If any company or corporation wants to set up an industrial unit then they have to seek government’s permission under Section 63/AA (purchase of land by non-farmer for establishment of industry in agriculture land) of Gujarat Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948 . If they are unable to put up an industry within two years and if they intend to sell the land then they have to pay 100 percent premium to the government,” Chavda further said
“In this case, the zoning to industrial has been changed without Sahara India Home Corporation seeking permission under Section 63/AA. Secondly, the company is into building homes and is not looking to set up an industrial unit. Now the company will easily divide the land into plots and sell,” he added.
Congress said that the company applied for changing the zone on December 31, 2018.
“This request was then sent to the urban development department which was under the chief minister in the previous (Rupani) government. The request for zone changes was granted to the company on May 28, 2021. What raises suspicion is that six real-estate developers had made similar applications to RUDA. However, RUDA sent only the application from Sahara to the government,” said Shailesh Parmar, deputy leader of the opposition in Gujarat Assembly.
According to Parmar the state government gave this permission despite knowing that Sahara India Home Corporation was a “fraud” entity which has usurped money from people with the promise of building houses in different cities of the state.
He claimed that the Rupani-led government was changed by BJP because of their involvement in corruption.
Congress also sought a CBI inquiry into this decision of the state government.
Reacting to’ claims former chief minister Vijayupani tweeted saying that the Congress were only an attempt to defame him and he is ready to face any inquiry in this regard. Rupani said that the change in zoning was done for the “industrial development of Rajkot,” and there was not even a Rs 5 worth of corruption.
Rupani said he has approved 400 town planning schemes and 40 development plans during his tenure as chief minister. He said the attempt made by Congress were only an attempt to save their own party’s sinking ship in Gujarat.
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