MAHARASHTRA: Ramdev’s Patanjali has been in violation of its agreement with the Maharashtra government to acquire 200 acres of land at throwaway prices in February 2006.
Patanjali had acquired 200 acres of land at Mihan on 19 February 2016 after it signed an MoU with the Maharashtra government for an ayurvedic products unit. The company had performed the bhoomipujan (religious rituals) on 10 September, 2016 amidst a huge fanfare, but the production at the site has yet to commence.
This, according to many, is in direct violation of the agreement.
Senior Congress leader and former Member of Parliament, Sanjay Nirupam has said, that giving Ramdev hundreds of acres of land at throwaway prices was a part of massive corruption, where even the state’s chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis is personally involved.
He said, “There’s no secret that the governments up and down the country have been giving thousands of acres of land at throwaway prices to Ramdev, who had actively campaigned for the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP government in Maharashtra too gave away hundreds of acres of land to Ramdev primarily to compensate for his help to the saffron party in the elections.
“Ramdev has been in violation of agreement and his cheques too have bounced. So, it’s clear that the Patanjali’s agreement with Mahrashtra government is effectively in abeyance now. This points to a huge scam involving Fadnavis himself since the land at Mihan is owned by Maharashtra Airport Development Authority, which is headed by the Maharashtra chief minister. So, it was at his behest that the MADC had given 200 acres of land to Ramdev’s company at cheap prices.”
Bombay High Court is currently hearing Nirupam’s petition alleging corruption and crony capitalism by the Fadnavis government. In May this year, Bombay High Court had sought to know from the Maharashtra government if over 600 acres of land in Nagpur was allotted to Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurveda at a throwaway price and on what grounds “concession”, if any, was given to the company.
