Ayodhya land deals should be probed by House panel: Faizabad MP

On July 10, The Indian Express had published an investigation of land registries since the Supreme Court verdict that showed an up to 30 per cent rise in the number of land transactions in at least 25 villages in Ayodhya and adjoining Gonda and Basti districts that fall within a radius of 15 km of the temple. Many of these land deals were linked to politicians, senior officials and their relatives. They include sons of Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, former MP Brij Bhushan Singh’s MP-son Karan Bhushan and relatives of UP BJP MLA Ajay Singh.

Demanding an inquiry into the land deals, Prasad said a House committee should be constituted to probe into the alleged irregularities. The panel should find out who purchased the land, he said, adding that it should also investigate the Ram Path and airport projects among other constructions.

“That report should be tabled in the House to make things clear,” Prasad said.

The SP MP said the ruling party has only cheated the people of Ayodhya. Neither Ayodhya nor Uttar Pradesh found mention in the Union Budget, he said.

“The BJP has done politics and business in the name of Ayodhya,” he said. “With a pained heart I am saying this today that the development of Ayodhya has been completely neglected because I am a Dalit…”

“From January 22 (Ram temple consecration ceremony) until the elections, people from across the country came to defeat Awadhesh Prasad, Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav’s candidate. But the mercy of Lord Shri Ram is on me and hence they (BJP) have been rejected,” said Prasad, under whose constituency Ayodhya falls.

He said the BJP has been rejected by the people of Ayodhya because their houses were demolished to make way for projects. “Whether it is Ram Path or aerodrome or any other construction, people’s houses have been demolished using bulldozers. That is why the BJP was rejected completely,” he said.

Prasad said shops were built by demolishing a settlement of the OBC Nishad community near Guptar Ghat in Ayodhya. These shops, he alleged, have been given to “crorepatis”. “They are so upset that the BJP will be wiped out in the state in the 2027 elections. BJP will be wiped out from the country in the 2029 elections,” he said.