Vadra-DLF land deal case: BJP hits back at Congress, says not on 'witch-hunt'

Asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not on a political witch-hunt, party leader Shaina N.C on Thursday said the fact that the Justice S.N Dhingra Committee has presented a 182-page report is testimony to the fact that there "was tremendous evidence" against a particular individual (Robert Vadra) "who was in collusion with the then Haryana Government."

Speaking to ANI, Shaina said, "This is a judicial inquiry, the presentation of which has been given to Mr. Khattar and I am sure he will bring it in the public domain at the appropriate time."

The comments from the BJP comes a day after the one-man Justice S.N. Dhingra commission, set up by the BJP government in May last year, asked to probe controversial land deals in Haryana, including the land deals of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra submitted its report to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Noting that the constitution of Dhingra Commission was a 'mere cog' in the wheel of malicious witch-hunt propagated by Khattar-led Haryana government, the Congress Party yesterday attempted to defend Robert Vadra and accused the BJP of indulging in mudslinging without an iota of evidence.

"The naked prejudice in the very constitution of Dhingra commission is apparent from one simple fact, various state governments have given a license for 33,697 acres of land including over 11,000 acres of land in Gurgaon. Out of this Dhingra commission was asked to enquire only 16 cases of commercial licenses totalling a merely 63.40 acres only because Sky Light hospitality belonging to Mr. Vadra had a license for a small 2.7 acre in the same," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

"There is till date not a whisper of any foul play and any wrongdoing, any violation of law, policy, rules or regulation in grant of license to Sky Light hospitality own by Mr. Vadra," he added.

The Congress spokesperson pointed out that the license for this 2.7 acre of land given to Sky Light has not been renewed by the Haryana Government.

"Even the transfer of license from Sky Light to DLF has not granted permission till today by government of Haryana.. Khattar government Mr. Manohar Lal Khattar has granted license under the same policy to numerous people both in the year 2015 and 2016 by this logic, shouldn't the commission of enquiry be constituted against Khattar and the BJP government?" he asked.

Surjewala alleged that Justice Dhingra has 'compromised' his position as an independent arbiter by accepting favours from the present BJP government of Haryana.

"Justice S.N. Dhingra commission is a still born commission irrespective of what is written in the report. Justice Dhingra has asked for favours from the present BJP government of Haryana for Gopal Singh charitable trust headed by him and getting a road worth crore of rupees out of public funds in contravention of norms for construction of road sanction from Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar," said Surjewala.

"Why should a judge who is examining licensing and policy of licensing in Gurgaon and state of Haryana accept a gift of land for the trust he is heading free of cost from any person?" he asked.

The commission was asked to probe the grant of licenses to Vadra's company and other firms for developing commercial properties in Gurgaon's Sector 83 and some other prime areas.

It was mandated to probe their subsequent transfer or disposal, allegations of private enrichment, ineligibility of beneficiaries under the rules, and other connected matters.

Vadra had termed the inquiry commission as a "political witch-hunt" launched against him by the BJP government in Haryana.