Rajiv Gandhi Trust asked to return land to UPSIDC

On a day when the Congress denied any wrongdoing by the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, accused of usurping land belong to farmers and selling it to an industrial house, a court in Amethi on Wednesday sought return of the land to the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC).

In her order, Gauriganj's Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vandita Srivastava said the land belonged to the UPSIDC and had been illegally transferred to the trust.

The lawyer representing farmers said the land was leased out to a company and demanded the cancellation of the auction that transferred the land to a cycle manufacturing company - Samrat Bicycle.

He also demanded return of the land to the UPSIDC.

Following the representation, the district magistrate ordered correction of the papers after which the SDM acted in compliance.

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has accused the trust of usurping the land by illegal means.

The Congress and its vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who represents Amethi constituency in the Lok Sabha, have vehemently denied any wrong doing.