Border guesthouse — Takeover sparks row

The government had received reports from the Army that the guest house, located in a border area, could become a shelter for undesirable elements.So in June, it stopped construction and last week, the collectorate acquired the incomplete building.

The shrine — which attracts pilgrims from all over the region besides other parts of the country — is located on the edge of the Rann of Kutch. The pilgrims include both Hindus and Muslims. In March-April every year, a big fair is held. Legend has it that Hajipir was a young Muslim soldier who died while fighting a gang of robbers who were forcibly driving away herds of cows belonging to the locals.

Yusuf Jat, secretary of Muslim Welfare and Education Society, who has alleged that there is communal motive to the government decision, said the fear of the guest house becoming a security threat was misplaced. He pointed out that Hajipir was some 90 km from the border and no anti-national activity had ever been reported in the area. Besides, the village, which has a small population of 300, also has BSF and police posts.

Yusuf said that GMDC had given a similar donation for construction of a guest house at Narayan Sarovar, which is sacred for Hindus. Although Narayan Sarovar is just 25 km away from the international boundary, no one had objected. The Sarovar is close to Kori Creek which has often been used for smuggling of arms and ammunition and RDX.

A Muslim leader found it strange that while new BJP president Bangaru Laxman was asking Muslims to join the party, the BJP government had taken such a decision. He said Zaveri — without whose clearance GMDC could not have sanctioned money — was very well familiar with the area and could not have done anything which would help in any kind of anti-national activity.

Zhaveri said that the GMDC donated Rs 30 lakh to the Haji Hasan Trust for construction of the guest house because there was no shelter for pilgrims. “Since Muslims and Hindus both visit the shrine, we believe it is a symbol of communal amity. Now that the government has decided against construction for security reasons, I cannot do anything,” Zhaveri said.

Hajipir falls in Banni which is protected forest land since 1955. But in actual practice, it is administered neither by the Revenue nor Forest authorities. Naturally, therefore, the question arises how the construction of the guest house was taken up.

Sources in the GMDC say that Haji Hasan Trust had obtained consent of the Luna panchayat, in whose area Hajipir falls. The matter was also discussed with Revenue officials and they had given their tacit permission, it is said. Since GMDC was financing the guest house, the construction was started with much fanfare in May 1999. No agency, including the collectorate, had raised any objections then. It was after about a year that the Army objected to the guest house, it is learnt.

Collector Kamal Dayani said he did not know at what level the matter was discussed, but he was not empowered to grant permission for any construction in Banni without prior approval from the Central Government. He said he had taken possession of the land and half-constructed building on the grounds of encroachment on government land.