Congress legislator from Mandar, Bandhu Tirkey today launched agitation against the decision of his own government claiming that the new land mutation bill is against tribals and moolvasis. Tirkey, who switched sides to Congress a few months back dared government officials urging them to enlighten how the new bill is not going to provide immunity to revenue officials from legal consequences and making the State an easy hunting ground for land mafia.
Tirkey, who is known for raising public issues, especially those linked with tribal and moolvasis interest, posed several queries before the officials. Citing some of the land deals Tirkey claimed those as illegal and conspired due to nexus between land mafias and revenue officials. He said, “I want to draw the attention of the department officials towards the illegal land deal of land at Hehal circle. A park named after Lok Nayak JP existed near a plot of land near DAV School. But due nexus of revenue officials and land mafia now high rise buildings and a four wheeler showroom exist on the plot of land.”
Tirkey also raised the issue of siphoning off compensation money meant for land holders in construction of ring road and expansion of ISM campus in Dhanbad. The legislator claimed that there have been glaring lapses and acts of corruption and land loot in connivance with officials in circle offices which need to be curbed.
He said there are several instances where a person’s land is being usurped by land sharks in connivance with government officials posted at the circle offices through wrong mutation and registration. He said mainly poor landholders especially tribals who don’t know much about land deals are the victims. Tirkey openly opposing his own government’s Cabinet decision is going to bring discomfort for the coalition government as earlier, Senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi has slammed the land mutation bill saying that getting passed from Cabine, state government has betrayed the people. He also said that the government is bringing this bill for land mafias.
