Uttarakhand Congress demands CBI probe into land allotment to Ramdev's aide Balkrishna

Dehradun: The Congress on Sunday accused the Uttarakhand government of giving 142 acres of 'heritage' land of George Everest Estate in Mussoorie, worth more than Rs 30,000 crore, to a company linked to yoga guru Ramdev's aide Acharya Balkrishna on an annual rent of just Rs one crore.

The party demanded a CBI probe into the matter under the supervision of the high court.

Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Karan Mahara called it the "biggest scam in the state so far". He alleged that the “scam” in the tourism development project of George Everest Estate is clear evidence of the BJP's "crony capitalism".

"There should be a CBI probe under the supervision of the high court into the George Everest land scam. The BJP government has turned Uttarakhand into a den of loot. The Congress will fight on this issue from the streets to the House and will get justice for the people,'' Mahara said in a press release issued here.

Mahara alleged that all the three companies that bid in the tender issued by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board in December 2022 -- Rajas Aerosports and Adventures Private Limited, Bharuva Agri Science Private Limited and Prakriti Organics India Private Limited -- were directly controlled by Ramdev's associate Acharya Balkrishna, which is a “blatant violation” of tender rules and the anti-collusion law.

He also alleged that the 142 acres of land of George Everest Estate, which was given to Rajas Aerosports and Adventure Private Limited on an annual rent of Rs one crore for 15 years, was earlier developed by the government by taking a loan of Rs 23.5 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Earlier, Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly, Yashpal Arya, had also demanded a probe into the matter by the CBI or a panel headed by a retired judge.

“The government first spent Rs 23 crore of the ADB loan on beautifying the land worth billions, and then gave it to a private company for 15 years to earn just Rs 15 crore as rent.

“Only the government and the competent officers of the Uttarakhand tourism department can tell what kind of development model this is,” Arya said.

Reacting to the allegations, the ruling BJP termed the allotment process for tourism activities in the George Everest Estate legal, and claimed that movement of people around the allotted site continues unhindered.

Calling the allegations a bundle of lies, BJP's state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said, “Due procedure has been followed in the allocation of land for tourism activities in George Everest Estate.”