Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Dec, 09
Lambasting the BJP for its double standards over land encroachments, the NPP today questioned the BJP as to what action did it propose against its Ex-MLA from Ramnagar Mr. RS Pathania whose name had surfaced in the Roshni scam. While the BJP was targeting the opposition over the issue of land grabbing, its own leaders were knee deep in such nasty deals with one of its Ex-MLAs having grabbed huge land valuing crores merely by paying Rs.970/-, said Mr. Rajesh Padgotra, Provincial President JKNPP. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today. Speaking to the media persons, Mr. Rajesh Padgotra said that Mr. Pathania had earned the most dubious notoriety of land grabbing, embezzlement of development funds besides siphoning off govt. grants released under CDF, Bad pocket grants, CD & Panchayat funds besides huge scams committed in PHE department in collusion with local officers. Mr. Padgotra disclosed that the said Ex-MLA was not only a beneficiary of Roshni scheme but had encroached huge chunks of State land and Kah-Charai as well as Forest lands. He claimed that he was in possession of RTI reply which revealed that State land valuing crores was in the possession of Mr. Pathania. He regretted that despite the details of such illegal encroachments of land besides other shady deals of the said Ex-MLA having been brought in public domain, the authorities concerned had failed to act.
Mr. Padgotra said prior to becoming MLA Mr. Pathania lived in a Kachha dilapidated house in a remote village named Kail in Tehsil Majalta.
He however became a filthily rich, affluent man within a period of 2-3 years after becoming MLA. His sudden rise from rags to riches needed to be probed through an independent investigating agency preferably the CBI so that such corrupt politicians were unmasked and their real face and character brought before the public. He cautioned to intensify the campaign against the corrupt deeds of the notorious Ex-MLA in case he was not booked immediately for all his irregular and corrupt practices.
Mr. Gagan Pratap Singh, State Secretary JKNPP, Sdr. Mohinderpal Singh Pandu and Mr. Rashpaul Singh, Senior Office Secretary JKNPP were also present in the press conference.
