Amid the standoff between Delhi Government and lG, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday accused lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung of allotting a land at Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Marg for Delhi BJP office which was earlier identified for a Government school.
In his two-page letter to Jung, Sisodia said he was surprised to know that the l-G has allegedly changed the land use, identified for school, to benefit BJP and demanded that he should revoke his decision.
However, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), headed by the l-G, has claimed that the land usage, from a “nursery school” to one for a party office, has not been changed but is in due process. Sources said the DDA had changed its policy for allocating land to nursery schools across the city in 2002 and there was no violation of any laws for allocating land to Delhi BJP at DDU marg.
The Deputy CM said he knows that as being chairman of DDA, the l-G has powers to take decision pertaining to land, but Constitution has not given him such power to give school land, identified for students, to the ruling party (Delhi BJP) of Centre.
“I am really disappointed to know that you have allotted a land belonging to a school to the BJP for constructing its office,” Sisodia, who is also education Minister, said in a letter to Jung referring to the 809 square meter of land.
Expressing displeasure over Jung’s move, Sisodia said how the l-G could do this in a State where in each classroom 100 to 150 children were studying. “I am surprised over the expeditious manner in which the land use in this matter was changed. It is unprecedented that the matter was wrapped up in a few months whereas DDA has several proposals pertaining to education are pending for years” he added.
The Minister said that political parties had the right to ask for land to construct offices, but being the “owner of land in Delhi” it was discretion to allot the land. Sisodia said the Jung was free to allot the BJP the bungalow of any officer or Minister, but asked him save land for schools.