Land scam: Cong turns heat on Dhumal, son

NEW DELHI: Congress continued to target BJP by raking up the row surrounding allotment of land to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association during its rule and accused former chief minister P K Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur of involvement in a land scam that caused a loss of Rs 100 crore to the state exchequer.
The allegations were denied by Thakur and HPCA.
Party spokesman Jairam Ramesh said, “The transfer of land smacks of blatant constitutional impropriety, parent conflict of interest, glaring misuse of office, usurpation of public property and duping of public exchequer."
"I wonder if PM Narendra Modi's promise of acting against corruption would apply retrospectively in this case," he asked.
Ramesh demanded action against Thakur who is a Lok Sabha MP and president of BJP's yuva morcha wing.
Thakur, who is holding the post of BCCI secretary, was the president of HPCA when the land for the stadium was given on lease.
Producing documents in support of the accusation against the Dhumal-led BJP government, Ramesh said the land for the stadium was given on a lease at a measly sum of Rs one per month against the state government rule of leasing out at Rs 94 lakh per annum.
"This not only led to a loss Rs 100 crore to the exchequer, the CM approved the decision in the Cabinet on May 27, 2002 undermining the notings of senior officials of the state government," he said.
Ramesh said the Dhumal-led government proceeded to transfer the 16 acre of prime land in Dharmasala even without there being an applicant from HPCA.
Not only this, in gross violations of the conditions set, the property was used for commercial purposes, Ramesh said and referred to one Aveda company which is benefiting to the tune of over Rs one crore a year from the commercial exploitation.
HPCA had handed over a hotel and a spa constructed on the land to the company in gross violation of the cabinet decision.
Further, to escape from being held accountable in any manner, Thakur also converted HPCA into a section 25 company under the Companies Act of 1956 in Kanpur from a society registered under the Societies Registration Act in 2012 without prior approval, Ramesh said.
The name of the body was also changed with an identical acronym of Himalayan Players Cricket Association (HPCA) and then again changed back to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) but it remains a sec 25 company, Ramesh alleged.
The fresh attack from the Congress has come at a time when Parliament is stuck in a logjam.
The opposition party has attacked Modi government over Lalitgate and Vyapam controversies and is adamant on itse demand of ‘resignations before discussion’.
However, HPCA in a statement said, "It is really unfortunate that Congress is dragging HPCA in their personal vendetta against Anurag Thakur who happens to be one of the young charismatic leaders of the BJP."
Slamming the Congress, Thakur said the allegations reflect the "bankruptcy" in the party and termed it as "lies" and an attempt to "destroy" sports in the country.
HPCA said the "land is leased to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association and not to Thakur or his family in their individual capacities".
Asked why the issue was being raised now, Ramesh said, "when we got all the papers, we prepared a dossier and hence have put up before the public".
To a question as to why the Congress ruled government in the state was not acting against Dhumal, he said, the "government will do what is required to be done".
"We cannot reverse the decision as far as the stadium goes. But there are options and that will certainly be explored".
"The commercial use can certainly be reviewed and the Himachal Pradesh government is well within its right to review the commercial use. They can certainly review the lease on rent," he underlined.