Not even Ram Mandir, the ‘holy project’ of the RSS-BJP-Sangh Parivar is spared from the all-pervading corruption in capitalist India. It is reported that the ‘Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’ had purchased 12,080 square metres of land at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh at an inflated price of Rs18.5 crore on 18 March. The land was purchased by the temple’s trust at Rs 18.5 crore on 18 March. According to land deeds, only a few minutes earlier on the same day one Kusum Phatak had sold the same land for Rs 2 crore to Ravi Tiwari and Sultan Ansari from whom the Trust bought the land. Trust members Anil Mishra, who is a BJP leader, and Hrishikesh Upadhyay, a former BJP mayor of Ayodhya, are signatories to the Rs18.5 crore land deal. Once this piece of information was leaked, the saints and ascetics who form core support group of the RSS-BJP are stated to be furious as it raises question about misuse of Rs 3,200 crore odd fund collected for construction of the temple. To handle the situation, Krishna Gopal, assistant General Secretary of the RSS, rushed to Ayodhya and as per media report, was closeted with RSS activists Chmapat Rai, Anil Sharma, Secretary and member of the Trust, respectively as well as other Trust people. Champat Rai is also the vice-president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a constituent of Sangh Parivar. It is learnt that he left Ayodhya with copies of all deeds and documents related to the land deal. Notably, 12 of the 15 members of the Trust are nominated by the central BJP government. Nripen Mishra, former principal secretary of the Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Committee for construction of the temple. It is alleged that Mishra alongwith Hrishikesh Upadhyaya, BJP mayor of Ayodhya, were witnesses to the controversial deal. It is further alleged that Deep Narayan, nephew of Upadhyaya also bought many pieces of land around the construction site at cheaper rate and then sold those to the Trust at an exorbitant price. Swatantra dev, BJP State President, remained tight-lipped over the allegation. Suspicion is also brewing over another deal. As per the Government Grant Act, ‘nazul’ land is owned by the federal government and cannot be offered for sale. However, one Devendra Prasadacharya, offered this 890 square metre ‘nazul’ land to Deep Narayan for Rs 20 lakh in February last. Deep Narayan offered the identical land to the Ram temple belief for Rs 2.5 crore in May meaning a jump of 1200% in 79 days. The worth of this land as per the DM circle price is roughly Rs 35 lakh. The sale deed registered between Prasadacharya and Deep Narayan on 20 February 2021, additional mentions that land was “not for public purpose use” and was “out of the ambit of acquisition process by any government department”. It is also reported that Narayan obtained all of the information associated to the land “properly checked” and “was satisfied with the ownership of the land” earlier than the deal. Devendra also claimed that he was the ‘proprietor’ of the stated property and had the ‘full right to promote the land’.
Incidentally, Vineet Narain, who is currently involved working with an NGO engaged in environmental protection alleged in a social media post on 18 June last that Champat Rai had a role to play in a land grab case (a cowshed belonging to one Alka Lahoti).
Immediately, UP police have booked Narain, his aide Rajneesh and Lahoti under 14 sections of the IPC and two sections of the IT Act. Narain is known for pursuing the legal case in the hawala scam of the early 90s, in which several politicians and bureaucrats were charge-sheeted. It was his Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that led to crucial Supreme Court rulings concerning the appointment of the CBI director.
Now veneer is coming out of the Hindutva party “with a difference” as well as its mentors and associates. (source: The Hindu 14-06-21, ABP 20-06-21, 21-06-21, Indian Express 21-06-21 and Times of India 22-06-21) corporate profits have skyrocketed?
(Source-Business Standard 31-05-21, Business Today, 28-06-21)
Ram Mandir opens avenue for benefactors to make fortunes by land trading
