The decision of Congress ruled Himachal Government for allowing sale of land to outsiders has provoked widespread anger and resentment.
Former Revenue Minister, Thakur Gulab Singh on Thursday said the fabulously rich land mafia of the adjoining States of Punjab, Haryana, UP, Delhi and Rajasthan would swing into action to “tempt and allure” farmers with attractive offers of money and purchase the prime lands of the State for housing estates rendering the native inhabitants of the State poor and landless.
Addressing a news conference here, he said the days of Virbhadra Singh Government were numbered and he was making last-minute frantic efforts to oblige his friends and financiers. He said eye-brows were being raised over the most controversial decision, which no Government ever dared during the past 66 years.
He said Congress had no moral right to take such a decision of far reaching consequences affecting over 90 per cent farming community of the hilly State which had limited land.
Thakur Mahender Singh, BJP leader and former Minister, described the decision of Virbhadra Singh Government as “perverse and suicidal”, motivated by personal and vested interests at the cost of the State.
Former Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Jai Ram Thakur,also issued a statement coming down on the decision of paving way for selling prime land of Himachal Pradesh to outsiders as “imprudent and stupid” motivated by selfish considerations and added that it was another scam with wider ramifications for the detriment of the poor farming community of the hilly state which would turn them destitutes and beggars.
He said BJP was planning a strategy to fight this decision in public and also in courts, if required. He said former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal was likely to take up this serious matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as it threatened the very existence of the farming community of the State.