'Beniwal sacking revenge politics'

The removal of Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal barely two months before completion of her tenure has triggered a serious debate in the political circles of Rajasthan. 

While the ruling BJP is justifying the move by accusing Beniwal of misusing the Governor’s office in Gujarat to make unauthorised air travels, the opposition Congress accused the saffron party of revenge politics. 

Regardless of the controversy, the sacking has revived the recent accusations against Beniwal, a Congress veteran. The BJP is stressing on the allegations of land grabbing in Rajasthan through a farmers’ cooperative society and exerted political pressure to save the society from dissolution due to irregularities.

Several decades ago, about 384 bigha of land was reportedly allotted to Kisan Samuhik Krishi Sahakari Samiti Ltd. (KSKSSL), in which Beniwal was an executive member. Later, KSKSSL, without permission of government or registrar cooperatives, gave consent to acquisition of its land by the Jaipur Development Authority and demanded developed residential and commercial plots in lieu of compensation. 

The members, including Beniwal, sought compensation for several years of their work on the farm land, the market value is said to be several thousand crore rupees.  

It is alleged that even during her days as the Gujarat Ggovernor, Beniwal participated in executive body meetings of KSKSSL, signing minute books and passing various “illegal resolutions”. She is also accused of allotting the plots to herself.

During the erstwhile Congress reign, the registrar of Government of Rajasthan recommended dissolution of KSKSSL alleging that the society has diverted from its main objectives, surrendered 384 bigha land to the Jaipur Development Authority without the consent of the registrar, not held the annual general meeting for over 20 years and failure to audit the society’s accounts between 1981 and 2009.