With Chief Minister Amarinder Singh buying land in area falling under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday demanded an inquiry against him for alleged breach of oath of office and conflict of interest.
In a complaint to the chief secretary, Karan Avtar Singh, leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira said the six acres of land bought by the CM at Palanpur village (Siswan) of SAS Nagar (Mohali) district (adjoining Chandigarh) is covered under the PLPA which was notified on 3 February 2003 to bar any sort of construction or groundbreaking in the ecologically fragile area of Shivalik foothills.
Quoting media reports, the AAP leader said as the Punjab government is likely to let the PLPA notification pertaining to villages surrounding Chandigarh lapse after 3 February 2018, it would mean a windfall for land sharks who have bought large chunks of land in the area.
“It now appears that CM Amarinder was well aware of this fact that the PLPA notification would lapse on 3 February, hence any piece of land bought would ultimately be allowed residential or commercial use which would make the prices skyrocket at least 10 times,” Khaira alleged.
“This act of Amarinder as CM is nothing but gross conflict of interest, besides serious breach of secrecy and office to uphold the Constitution. I now apprehend many more political colleagues or the CM and his coterie of officers or other powerful persons would have also purchased land in the vicinity of New Chandigarh, knowing fully that the PLPA of 2003 is going to lapse shortly,” he added in his complaint to the CS.