Furore at LF meet,CM promises action

On Friday,State Housing Minister Gautam Deb tok on his Cabinet colleague Abdur Rezzak Mollah,the Land and Land Reforms Minister.

“If the Vedic Village management was given lease of 44 acres by Mollah’s department to set up a resort,he should be asked why?” Deb said. The government rules do not permit leasing over 24 acres to an individual owner. Besides,there are reports that the land used for a resort was converted on the grounds of “public utility”,he said.

Deb also said the government should immediately come clean on the status of another 1,500 acres which the Vedic Village authorities are said to be acquiring.

“How can a resort be allowed to hold 1,500 acres? What was the police doing at the time of violence on Sunday?” he said.

The CPI leader,Gurudas Dasgupta,also openly criticised the government for police inaction in case of the Rajarhat forcible land acquisition. It exposed a nexus between politicians and criminals,he said.

“It seems all political parties have links with criminals,” said Dasgupta,indicating links of Gaffar Mollah with the CPM and the Trinamool.

At the Alimuddin Street,in a closed-door state secretariat meeting,Chief Minister Buddhaeb Bhatacharjee — after the outburst by party members — promised action against the Vedic Village owners when the police produced corroborative evidence of forcible acquisition.

In the secretariat meet at CPM office,senior members like Shyamal Chakraborty,Benoy Konar and Madan Ghosh expressed their anger in presence of the chief minister. “Seems we are protecting the Vedic Village owners,which has tarnished the image of the government,” a senior leader said.

Mollah,accused of giving the resort owners 44 acres of vested land,today told The Indian Express that his department had leased out land for the resort,but had no connection with the township and the IT projects for which the company was said to be acquiring another 1,500 acres.

“The agreement was between the IT department and the private company and approved by the state cabinet in presence of the chief minister. I have no relation with the project involving 1500 acres,” Mollah said.

“Already an official of the village have been arrested. Police is looking for corroborative evidence beforearresting the owners,’ the CM has reportedly said.

One outcome of the issue is the future of the IT park in which Infosys was promised land by the CM and the IT minister,Debesh Das.

Das,said he was not aware how they (the private company) was acquiring land. “What can I do if they acquire land forcibly,this is a law and order problem,” said Das.

According to sources in the land department,the Vedic village company also signed an agreement with the IT department for an IT park and township. The project was approved by the state cabinet in late 2007,during the Nandigram aftermath. Apprehending more violence,the IT department allowed the private company to buy land for the joint venture under Town and Country Planning Act.