Jammu Tawi, August 27: Lambasting the BJP for its double standards over land encroachments, the JK National Panthers Party today questioned the BJP as to what action did it propose against its Ex-MLA from Ramnagar 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 Rajesh Padgotra, senior leader JKNPP in a press briefings.
Padgotra accused Pathania of 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 and Rural Development Department in collusion with local officers. 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 BJP ex-MLA 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.
Gagan Pratap, State Secretary-JKNPP said that the BJP ex-legislator Pathania rose from rags to riches within no time and had been accused of raising two palatial bungalows after elections besides raising huge moveable and immoveable assets in Jammu city and its vicinity which were disproportionate to his known sources of income. He further disclosed that in replies of RTIs, State land measuring 22 kanals and 15 marlas was found to be in illegal possession of said MLA and his family who had further regularized 9 Kanals 15 Marlas of state land under the nasty Roshni scheme besides he having been involved in swindling subsidies from Agriculture and Horticulture departments which were supposed to be meant for the poor and the BPL families. “Several unemployed youth had claimed to be duped and looted by the said BJP MLA in the name of employment besides extortions from employees in the name of transfers”. The said MLA has purchased several nami and benami plots in Jammu and its vicinity besides other luxury vehicles but has been allowed immunity in view of being a BJP leader”, lamented Gagan.
Surinder Chouhan, District President-Jammu Rural said prior to becoming MLA, Pathania lived in a Kachha dilapidated house in a remote village named Kail in Tehsil Majalta. He however became a 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. Gurdeep Singh (Youth Secretary Jammu Rural) was also present in the press conference.
