The land acquisition of land in the Bikaner firing range by Businessman Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, echoed in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Thursday when BJP MLA Sumit Godra alleged that Vadra’s company figured in the Enforcement Directorate’s case in an alleged money-laundering case over the land transaction.

There was a fierce debate between the Rajasthan Education Minister Dr B D Kalla and the Deputy Leader of Opposition (BJP) R S Rathore amid uproar for a few minutes in the house. During the debate on the Demands for Grants of Revenue Department, Godara, who also represents Lunkaransar assembly constituency in Bikaner, accused Vadra of land scam in the firing range where farmers of 34 villages were waiting for compensation.

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Immediately intervening the BJP MLA, Dr Kalla who belongs to Bikaner district, strongly said any person who was not connected with the house should not be charged with allegations without permission of the Speaker.

“The said MLA is making false allegations on Robert Vadra as he did not commit any wrongdoing. The lands bought in the range were done by the BJP people, and two of them have died. They (BJP people) purchased the land at a lower rate of Rs.5000 (per bigha) but sold it at higher prices up to Rs.90,000. He (Vadra) did not commit any scam or irregularity of even one percent, made check payments, and did get the registry of the land. Whatever he has done (purchase or sale) he did not as a landless farmer. Whereas the BJP people made themselves landless farmers, purchased and sold the land”, Kalla defended.

Deputy Leader of Opposition Rathore demanded that the state government should set up a commission to probe the land scams of Bikaner firing range to bring transparency in the case. “If Mantriji’s (kalla) version proves, I will resign or he shall resign. There is straw in the thief’s beard,” Rathore challenged.

Godara tried to counter Kalla saying that Ambani-Adani were also not the members of the House, how come their names were mentioned in the proceedings.

“Congress fellow members bought the farmers’ land because a big solar plant was to come there and you guys did not want it”, Godara further alleged. The Chairperson J P Chandelia did not allow the Opposition BJP MLAs to make any further comments and create uproar.

It is pertinent to mention that the Rajasthan High Court in December month last year has quashed two petitions of businessman  Vadra seeking a report of ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) of ED and a stay on his custodial interrogation by ED in the alleged purchase of 275 Bighas of land in Bikaner’s Kolayat town.