The Bharatiya Janata Party in Chamoli has demanded a public account of land allocations made during previous Congress governments, responding to the party’s ongoing ‘Save Land Campaign’ in the district.
The BJP presented 20 points covering land-related controversies at Nainisar and Dholas, the allotment of land to Tata Motors in Pantnagar, alleged financial irregularities in SIDCUL and claims involving land along riverbanks. The issues were raised as political allegations by the BJP and were not presented as findings of a court or completed investigation.
Questions over Nainisar land lease
The BJP alleged that 7.061 hectares of panchayat land at Nainisar were leased during the Harish Rawat government for 30 years at an annual rent of ₹1,200. The party also claimed that cases were registered against 381 people who opposed the allocation.
The statement did not provide further details about the cases, including their present status. The allegations were cited by the BJP as part of its demand for Congress to explain decisions taken while it was in government.
The party also questioned permission granted at Dholas to purchase around 20 acres for an educational institution. According to the BJP, the land was later divided into plots, a development it said required clarification.
Tata Motors, SIDCUL and government land
The BJP said 975.44 acres were allotted to Tata Motors in Pantnagar in 2006. It also raised the issue of alleged financial irregularities worth more than ₹500 crore in SIDCUL.
The statement did not establish that wrongdoing had been proven in either matter. Instead, the BJP used the cases to argue that Congress should disclose the basis, process and consequences of major land decisions taken during its governments.
The party further claimed that the Dhami government had removed illegal encroachments from around 13 thousand acres of government land. It rejected Congress’s allegation that 7,000 bighas of land had been sold, describing that claim as misleading.
Government land and development
Minister of State Harak Singh Negi said protecting land and promoting development were not mutually exclusive objectives. He argued that government ownership could remain secure while unused land was used for industry, tourism and employment-related activities.
Negi said Congress should respond to land allocations and related controversies from its time in office before making political allegations. His remarks formed the BJP’s broader defence of the government’s approach to land use.
District general secretary Vinod Kanwasi, Mahendra Singh Rana, Govind Sajwan, senior block chief Vipin Kandari, Badri Rawat, Yash Pratap Singh, Ayush Gaur, Gajendra Aswal, Arvind Kunwar, Mahavir Farswan and Prashant Bisht were among those present.
The immediate political dispute centres on competing claims about land protection, government ownership and development in Uttarakhand. The BJP has demanded accountability from Congress, while its own claims about the listed allocations and alleged irregularities remain political assertions in the material available for this report.
Conclusion
The Chamoli BJP has responded to Congress’s land campaign with a 20-point list seeking explanations for earlier allocations and alleged irregularities. It has also defended using unused government land for development while retaining state ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What has the Chamoli BJP demanded?
It has demanded that Congress publicly account for land allocations and related controversies from its periods in government.
Q. Which Nainisar figures did the BJP cite?
The BJP cited 7.061 hectares of panchayat land, a 30-year lease, annual rent of ₹1,200 and 381 people it said faced cases after opposing the allocation.
Q. What issue was raised about Dholas?
The BJP questioned permission to purchase around 20 acres for an educational institution and alleged that the land was later divided into plots.
Q. How much land did the BJP say was allotted to Tata Motors?
It said 975.44 acres were allotted to Tata Motors in Pantnagar in 2006.
Q. What did the BJP allege about SIDCUL?
It raised the issue of alleged financial irregularities worth more than ₹500 crore in SIDCUL.
Q. What did Harak Singh Negi say about government land?
He said land protection and development could coexist, with unused government land used for industry, tourism and employment while government ownership remained protected.
