Shimla, Nov 3 (IANS) The opposition Congress Thursday demanded that land allotted to yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district by the Bharatiya Janata Party government should be cancelled for violation of norms.
‘A prime piece of land was leased out to Baba Ramdev at throwaway prices for growing herbs. But, of late, huge buildings like five-star hotels have come up on that land,’ state Congress president Kaul Singh told reporters here.
He said all the upcoming constructions should be stopped. ‘The government has violated the rules by allotting 28 acres of land in Sadhupul village to Ramdev’s trust.’
The land, valued around Rs.35-40 crore, was allotted on a 99-year lease for opening a branch of the Haridwar-based Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust on a token amount of one rupee.
It is located midway between Kandaghat town and the hill resort of Chail, 50 km from here.
The Sadhupul land was given in 1956 by former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh’s royal family to the then Punjab government. Some areas which are now in Himachal Pradesh were previously a part of Punjab.
Amarinder Singh, a Congress leader, has already asked the Himachal Pradesh government to revoke the land lease orders.
