Regularisation row: Sattar denies accusation, says took step to help backward class individual

Amid the opposition’s demand for his resignation in the wake of strictures passed by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court over regularisation of gairan (grazing) land in the name of a private individual, state Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar denied all charges in the state Assembly on Wednesday, saying there was no wrongdoing and the decision was taken as per stipulated rules.

“As per the papers presented before me, the concerned person’s forefathers were shown to be using the land for cultivation in the past,” said Sattar in his reply.

While accepting that he did pass the order for regularising the gairan land, Sattar said that despite the order, no change in the land records has yet been made and no loss to the government has been caused. The minister claimed that he took the decision as per the stipulated norms and orders of the courts as the decision was taken only in exceptional circumstances to benefit a backward class individual, hence it does not violate the Supreme Court’s order.  “I will accept the High Court’s decision. There is no truth in the allegations levelled against me. I did justice to a backward class individual, I did nothing wrong,’’ said Sattar.