Ayodhya land-grabbing: UP govt names city Mayor, BJP MLA, including 40 others in land mafia list

The loot of government land goes unabated in the holy city of Ayodhya and it has further intensified after the construction of the grand temple at Ram Janambhoomi started there.

A recent list issued by none other than the state-owned Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) about the land mafias active in the city includes the name of two local Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) legislators and the Mayor.

The name of Ayodhya Mayor Rishikesh had figured among those who had sold land at escalated prices to the Ram Temple trust.

Vice-chairman of ADA, Vishal Singh, said that 40 people have been identified who have sold private land in an unauthorized manner and their names have been made public. He said that these people were illegally engaged in property dealing and without permission sold a large chunk of land where individuals have constructed houses. ADA vice-chairman said that all such illegal houses would be razed and action will be taken against such property dealers.

Among the list of land grabbers, local BJP MLA of Ayodhya Ved Prakash Gupta and former legislator from district Baba Gorakhnath also figured along with the Mayor.

The BJP MP from Ayodhya Lallu Singh had recently written a letter to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath apprising him of large-scale illegal land deals being made in the city and sought action against the guilty.

It may be mentioned that illicit land deals in the holy city of Ayodhya had hit headlines in November last year when Aam Adami Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh revealed that certain influential people including the city Mayor’s kin had purchased cheap land and then sold it to Ram Temple trust at higher rates.

The AAP leader had accused that those associated with BJP as well as the officials were engaged in illegal land deals in Ayodhya. The state government has set up an enquiry in the matter.

While nothing happened based on the enquiry report, the recent list of land grabbers has again raised fingers over BJP leaders of Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has targeted the ruling BJP on the land deals in Ayodhya. He said that BJP leaders have not spared the holy city of Ayodhya from corruption.