Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Gauri Shankar Agarwal is again in news, this time for encroachment on a government land. This time the encroachment was done by Guari Shankar Agarwal’s family trust - Chhaganlal Govindram Agarwal Trust. Chhagan Lal Govindram Agarwal is father of the speaker Gaurishankar Agarwal. In year 2012 the complaint had been filed in Lokayog that on the government land of of .404 hetare the trust had illegally constructed one grand temple, which has 19 shops and one Satsang Bhawan, and one big sprawling garden.
After the complaint get filed in the Lokayog the district Administration was finally instructed for the investigation. On the instructions of the District Collector a probe was launched in which Tehsildar was appointed as investigating officer. Finally, on June 7,2014 on the report filed by the investigating team Collector instructed for the seizure of the whole property and Raipur Municipal Corporation was made caretaker for the seized property.
The instruction for confiscation was made when the trust denied to demolish the erected illegal structure. Earlier Tehsildar instructed the trust to pay fine Rs 5000 and deconstruct the construction but trust not agreed. Till this date not even a single brick installed in the compound has been deomolished by the joint demolition squad of RMC and District Administration raised question over the whole procedure.
Finally, when no action initiated the RTI Activist of Hamar Sangwari Rajesh Choubey and Sarvajeet Sen obtained the information through filing RTI and addressed a press conference. After this the issue came in lime light.
The activists demanded strict action against the alleged Speaker. According to them Gaurishankar Agarwal is still active treasurer of the trust filed application for the electricity connection. Presently, in the temple 5000 kilowatt connection is active.
In the name of temple construction and placed it as huge gathering place for Hindu devotee, the game of encroachment started in 2008. In 2009 foundation lying ceremony completed. In the construction of temple started, when Gaurishankar Agarwal was chairperson of the Mineral Development Corporation. During the time he misuse the power of government machinery, also filed the applications for land allotment, electricity connection and others by using his own name and signature.
To have speedy works Gaurishankar Agarwal several times created pressure on concerning officers, alleged the activists. He also applied in revenue department for the allocation of land. Activists alleged whole the temple is made up highly expensive marble stones which accounts in crores. The Agarwal ditched Income Tax Department also by filing false papers and CBI probe is needed.
Surprising thing is that when temple was inaugurated in 2012, Chief Minister, Governor, and whole cabinet present in the ceremony.
Supreme Court guidelines violated-:
As per Supreme Court guidelines the land reserved for public use cannot be transferred to private parties and all the encroachments made on the lands have to be demolished but nothing such happened in the case.
Collector’s stand:
On the issue, District Collector, Thakur Ram Singh clarified his stand and said they are acting as per the instructions of the Lok Ayog. The property has been confisicated on June 14,2014 and handed over to the RMC to care take.
Congress Stand:
Congress Party State President Bhupesh Baghel demanded lodging of FIR against the alleged Speaker. He said, on the government land encroachment state cannot differentiate man on their status. If Builder Avinash Vajpayee has to rest in jail then Speaker also have to go into jail because he committed crime.
Speakers stand:
“I am on a constitutional position and assembly sessions are approaching closer hence as a Speaker it is not correct for me to comment”.
Gaurishankar Agarwal, Speaker, CG Assembly
After the issue whole BJP leaders started avoiding the media in Chhattisgarh.
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