BJP demands white paper on Jal Mahal lease issue

Accusing the Congress government in Rajasthan of shielding those guilty in the illegal leasing of Jal Mahal, BJP on Tuesday demanded a white paper on the entire issue.

“The government should make public who were involved in the decision to lease out  the Jal Mahal monument and the 100-acre land around it to a private company,” said BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari. He alleged that despite the Rajasthan high court order, the government was deliberately not taking possession of the historical property.

 “The high court scrapped the decision last week and directed the government to take possession of the land and the Jal Mahal but there is no action from the government, which indicates that it wants to favour the private firm and is giving it time to go to the Supreme Court,” Tiwari added.

But Congress is highlighting that the deal was finalised during the previous BJP regime though the tendering process was initiated during the Congress rule.

 “We are demanding a white paper on the issue and if our involvement is found, we will face it,” Tiwari said. He warned that BJP will launch a movement if the government did not take possession of the property.

“If the government does not initiate action to take possession of the property and the land by May 30, we will go to the Governor and submit a representation and then launch our movement," he added.

The high court on May 17 had cancelled the deal under which 100-acre land of the Man Sagar lake and the historical monument inside it were illegally leased to a private company for 99 years to develop a tourist resort.