launching a scathing attack on the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress regime in the State, Haryana senior Minister Anil Vij on Thursday claimed that the former Chief Minister had gone out of the way to clear over 3,000sqm land in Panchkula to Associated Journals ltd (AJl) 10 years ago.
The Health and Sports Minister Vij while talking to the mediapersons said that Hooda had gone out of the way to oblige Gandhi family in the case. The former Chief Minister had flouted all the rules despite the recommendations of officers concerned in sanctioning the 3,300 sq mtr land in Panchkula, charged Vij.
Vij alleged that Hooda was in a hurry to oblige his political masters and he even did not care about the legal advice given to him at that time which was against making this allotment.
If land was to be alloted, advertisements should have been placed and proper procedure should have been followed, said the Minister.
"It is also rare that the then Chief Minister himself signed the file," Vij claimed. Training guns on Hooda, Vij also tweeted, "Ex CM Haryana BS Hooda was so eager to oblige Gandhi Parivar in National Herald case that he himself signed the illegal order."
In more tweets, the Minister alleged that rules had been flouted by the former Chief Minister "despite negative noting on the file" by concerned officers.
"Flouting all rules despite negative noting on the file by all concerned officers in sanctioning 3,300 sq mtr land worth lakhs of Rs per mtr land....In meager Rs 91 per mtr to National Herald in Prime Sector of Panchkula. As per practice mostly PA signs all files on behalf of CM," Vij wrote on Twitter.
Earlier this week, the Minister had said that the matter should be inquired into as entire National Herald case is before the court.
Vij had said that it is a serious issue as previous Hooda Government gave 3,360 square metres of prime plot in Panchkula at throwaway prices.
The five-time BJP MlA from Ambala Cantt had claimed that another fact which has come to fore is that on August 14, 2014, two months before the Haryana Assembly polls, an Occupation Certificate (OC) was issued for the four-storey building on the plot.
On the other hand, Hooda on Thursday while referring to the National Herald case said that nothing wrong was done during his tenure in the State.