J&K Assembly in uproar over alleged free land allotment to Muralitharan’s Ceylon Beverages

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government found itself in a contentious situation on Saturday following allegations of a 25-acre free land allotment to Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan’s company, Ceylon Beverages.

The company plans to establish an aluminum can manufacturing and beverages filling unit in the Bhagthali industrial estate in Kathua district adjoining Punjab, with an investment of ₹1,642 crore.

The issue came to light after CPM MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami raised a question in the Legislative Assembly, seeking clarity on the land deal. However, Agriculture Minister Javaid Ahmad Dar feigned ignorance when questioned, admitting that he had no knowledge of the land allotment to Muralitharan’s company.

The controversy centers on the fact that the 25 acres of land were reportedly allocated to Ceylon Beverages free of charge as part of Jammu and Kashmir industrial policy, introduced after the abrogation of Article 370. The land allotment has sparked concerns among locals, especially those claiming that they had proprietary rights over the land and were allegedly evicted to make way for the project.

Muralitharan’s company already operates a plant in Karnataka and now seeks to expand into Jammu and Kashmir. The lease for the land was reportedly signed on June 14 last year. According to the company’s online profile, Ceylon Beverages is Sri Lanka’s largest beverage processing, filling, and exporting entity, providing contract filling services to major international clients like Coca-Cola and Nestle.

J&K industrial policy, which was launched on April 1, 2021, offers incentives like subsidies on capital investment, GST rebates on plant and machinery purchases, and financial assistance for working capital loans. This policy aims to attract large-scale investments and create jobs within the region.

Since its inception, the UT administration has received interest from a range of companies, including Dubai-based Emaar Group and India’s Kandhari Beverages Pvt Ltd, with proposed investments worth over ₹1.23 lakh crore.

Kathua district, due to its proximity to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, has become a focal point for many industrial projects.

Tarigami brought up the issue during a discussion on satellite townships being developed across the Union Territory. “What are these townships about? Who will be residing there? A Sri Lankan cricketer has been allotted land without being charged a paisa,” he remarked.

Congress MLA Ghulam Ahmed Mir echoed Tarigami’s concerns, calling the situation a “serious issue” that warranted a thorough discussion in the Assembly.

Responding to the concerns of the legislators, Agriculture Minister Javaid Ahmad Dar acknowledged the matter but said it falls under the Revenue Department’s jurisdiction. “We will look into the matter to verify the facts,” he said.

This is not the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 that questions have been raised regarding land allotments in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the involvement of a high-profile foreign figure like Muralitharan has added a new layer of complexity to the ongoing debate.

In defense of the land deal, a senior government official emphasized that Muralitharan’s investment aligned with the administration’s larger strategy to turn Jammu and Kashmir into an industrial hub. The official stressed that such foreign investments are crucial for the region’s economic growth and the creation of much-needed jobs.