Nitish seeks report on BIADA land allotments - Times of India

PATNA: In a swift reaction to the row over alleged favouritism in allotment of land to the near and dear ones of ruling politicians and bureaucrats, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday directed chief secretary Anup Mukherjee to submit a report on the facts of the matter.

"It's not the job of the CM to allot lands," Kumar said and added he would speak on the issue only after going through the chief secretary's report.

Pandemonium prevailed in both the Houses of the state legislature on Tuesday. While the opposition attack on the government was led by RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui in the assembly, leader of opposition in the council Ghulam Gaus moved an adjournment motion on the "illegal allotment" of Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA)'s land to the government's favoured few.

The opposition leaders alleged the beneficiaries of the land scam include Urvashi Shahi, daughter of HRD minister P K Shahi, and Rahmat Amanullah, daughter of social welfare minister Parveen Amanullah and senior IAS official Afzal Amanullah. Several other politicians' kin benefited from the government's benevolence, they alleged.

In the council, Nawal K Yadav, Badshah Prasad Azad, Mishri Lal Yadav, Ram Chandra Prasad, Tanvir Hasan (all RJD), Chandan Bagchi and Jyoti (both Congress) shouted anti- government slogans. While slogans like "CM istifa do", "Zameen ka bantwara bandh karo" and "Kisano ki zameen wapas karo" rent the air in the House, the opposition members entered the well of the House, displaying posters and banners demanding the resignation of CM. The House had to be adjourned twice without transacting any business in the pre-lunch session.

Later, council chairman Tarakant Jha rejected the adjournment motion, saying that four RJD MLCs had already submitted a calling attention motion on the issue and the government would give its reply on July 21.

In the assembly, the RJD and LJP members trooped into the well and pressed for an adjournment motion on the police firing on people agitating against the upcoming factory of a BJP MLC's son on a plot of BIADA land in Forbesganj. The uproar forced the Speaker to adjourn the House for ten minutes. When the House reassembled, the Speaker rejected the adjournment motion but agreed for a debate on the firing.

Initiating the debate, Siddiqui demanded compensation for the families of four people who died in the firing and transfer of the officers responsible for the "heinous crime".

Replying to the debate, the CM said he could not be accused of being insensitive as he instituted a judicial probe into the firing soon after the receipt of a joint report from the home secretary and ADG (HQ). He assured the House that the government would initiate action the moment it gets the report of the commission.

The CM further said BIADA land is allotted as per set norms. The government is inquiring if the norms were violated to allot land to anyone, he said.