Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 23

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the State of Haryana on notice on a petition filed in public interest against the transfer of around 42 acres in Rohtak district for Savindhan Sthala. It is being built in memory of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's father Ranbir Singh Hooda.

The notice was issued on a petition filed by Sunil Kumar and 11 others of Garhi Bohar village in Rohtak district. This is the second petition to be filed in the high court on the issue. In October 2011, a similar petition was filed but was withdrawn about a month back by the petitioners with the liberty to file it afresh.

The petitioners argued that the state had issued a notification in 2008 and in 2009 to acquire around 42 acres in their village. The land was to be acquired originally by the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation for developing an industrial township, but it was later transferred arbitrarily for the Savindhan Sthala.

Dubbing the action of transferring land as illegal, the petitioners contended it was done without following the procedure. They added that public land cannot be transferred for building memorials of private persons and, that too, on 42 acres.

The audacity of the Chief Minister of Haryana is limitless.

After gifting away land to Robert Vadera, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi, now he wants to acquire land for a memorial for his father.The Congress party cannot tell him anything as he has already pleased them by his gift.

We must thank the persons who have filed the PIL for bringing it to the notice of the people of India