Trinamool asks for CBI inquiry into land acquisition at Rajarhat

Trinamool Congress today demanded a CBI probe into the alleged forcible land acquisition at Rajarhat for a satellite township on the metropolis’ periphery and termed it as “largest” land scam by the Left government.

“We demand a CBI inquiry into the land scam at Rajarhat, the largest ever by the Left Front government," Partha Chatterjee, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, demanded during a gherao of the office of the state-owned Housing Development Corporation (HIDCO), the promoter of 'New Town'.

The senior Trinamool leader also demanded the resignation of state Housing minister Goutam Deb, who is HIDCO chairman, for the alleged acquisition of 25,000 hectare at Rajarhat at a pittance from farmers for sale at a premium.

He said the Trinamool Congress would step up its agitation and take out a procession from New Town to HIDCO office on December 21.

Deb, who was at the HIDCO office during the gherao, countered Chatterjee, saying “None can acquire land by force. It is a wrong notion. HIDCO paid the right price for the land. We acquired the land the way Railway Minister has been acquiring land for her ministry”.

“We are not bothered about rallies or demonstrations as the land acquisition at Rajarhat was perfectly in order," Deb told reporters.

“I would like to ask Trinamool leaders to sit with me and clear misconceptions about the land allotment at Rajarhat. I reiterate there was no loophole in the land acquisition.”

Senior Trinamool leader and Union Minister of State for Urban development Saugata Roy claimed that Deb realised Rs 27,000 lakh by selling the land to industrialists at a high price to “please Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.”

Roy alleged that one of the beneficiaries was Chandan Basu, son of the late Chief Minister Jyoti Basu.