Priyanka Gandhi Vadra speaks to reporters on land grab allegations in Ayodhya
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has given a detailed presentation of what she alleged was a big land scam in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, around the site of the Ram temple. The Uttar Pradesh government has already ordered an investigation into separate allegations that relatives of BJP leaders and government officials bought land near the temple using illegal methods.
Priyanka Gandhi, showing property sale documents to reporters, said land near the Ram temple valued at Rs 2 crore was sold twice - for Rs 8 crore and the second time, for Rs 18.5 crore - to the Ram Mandir Trust set up by the centre in 2020.
"A piece of land which was sold in 2017 to a certain person was then sold by that person in two parts. The first part was sold directly to the Ram Mandir Trust for Rs 8 crore. The second part, 19 minutes later, was sold to a certain Ravi Mohan Tiwari for Rs 2 crore. Five minutes later, this Mr Ravi Mohan Tiwari, is selling that Rs 2 crore land for Rs 18.5 core to the Ram Mandir Trust. Basically, the Trust is giving Rs 8 crore and Rs 18.5 core for a piece of land which is probably a little more than Rs 2 crore," Priyanka Gandhi said.
Her colleague, Randeep Surjewala, said this was probably the fastest land value appreciation in the world, as the price went up several crores in just a matter of minutes while land ownership was being exchanged hands.
Priyanka Gandhi said the land in question was under dispute and a police case filed over the matter specifically mentioned that it cannot be sold.
"The land was sold for Rs 8 crore to an individual who, within five minutes, sold it further for Rs 18.5 crore. Now if this is not a scam, what is it?" the Congress in-charge of the UP election campaign and daughter of party chief Sonia Gandhi said.
"Who are the witnesses in the land deals? One is a top member of the RSS and a trustee in the Ram mandir committee. The other is the mayor of Ayodhya," Priyanka Gandhi said, referring to the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
The Congress leader said a zila parishad-level officer has been tasked with probing the matter by the UP government, but since the construction of the Ram temple is monitored by the Supreme Court, the investigation into this allegation should come under the Supreme Court's purview.
The opposition Samajwadi Party and the Aam Aadmi Party had made similar allegations of land grab in Ayodhya in June this year. The temple body had brushed the charge aside as frivolous.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Champat Rai, who is also secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, had claimed the original buyers of the property had entered into an agreement with the owners years ago for the price applicable at that time. In March, they formalised it at the same rate, and then sold the property to the temple trust at the current market price.