A fresh row erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Saturday following allegations that the Omar Abdullah-led government allotted a 25-acre land “free of cost” to former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan’s company Ceylon Beverages.
According to reports, the company plans to establish a Rs 1,600 crore bottle-filling and aluminium can-manufacturing unit in Kathua. The issue was brought to light by CPM MLA from Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who accused the government of violating norms.
“What are these townships about? Who will be residing there? A Sri Lankan cricketer has been allotted land without being charged a paisa,” Tarigami was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times. Tarigami sought a reply from the government and asked the name of the cricketer.
The CPM MLA accused the National Conference administration of violating norms and said the land belongs to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir also raised concerns, describing the matter as “serious” and the issue needed to be looked into.
AAP MLA Mehraj Malik called it “ironical” that land was being snatched from the natives of the Union Territory. BJP MLAs Shakti Raj Parihar and Balwant Singh Mankotia were also among those who question the government over the delay in compensation to people whose land was acquired for road projects.
Cornered on the issue, J&K minister Javed Ahmad Dar said the government had no information about the allocation of land to the former Sri Lankan cricketer and promised to look into it.
“This is a matter related to the revenue department. We do not have any information, and we will look into it to know the facts,” Dar said in the Assembly.
According to reports, Muralitharan’s company already operates a plant in Karnataka and is seeking to expand into Jammu and Kashmir, with the lease reportedly signed on June 14 last year. Kathua was chosen as the location due to its proximity to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
On the question of compensation, Dar said the families having no land of their own are being provided five marlas of land for the construction of residential houses under PM Awas Yojana. “The land is provided subject to the verification by the revenue department,” he said.
He said 498 families have been allotted land by the revenue department under the Awaas-plus category of PMAY-G across the UT, while 442 cases are under consideration.
(with PTI Inputs)
