The BJP on Thursday criticised the Maharashtra government's decision to allot 51 hectares of land in Jalna district to a sugarcane research institute led by NCP president Sharad Pawar at "throwaway rates".
State BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari also alleged that government lands are "gifted" to institutes led by Pawar or people close to him whenever his party is in power.
However, Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik clarified the land has been rented out to the Pune-based Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI), led by Pawar, to carry out research work in the interest of farmers and "not sold".
Malik said former BJP Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had approved a file relating to the allotment of the land in question before it came up for discussion at the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
He asked the opposition party whether Fadnavis was "wrong" in doing so.
"The institutes and people close to Pawar are gifted government lands whenever his party is in power...there was no need to give land to the institute at throwaway rates as it has lot of money to buy land even at commercial rates," Bhandari said.
"The VSI also has lands. Hence, it is condemnable to allot the land (in Jalna) to the institute in such a case," he added.
Hitting back, Malik, also the NCP's national spokesperson, asserted that no irregularity was committed while taking the decision.
He said the VSI works in the interest of farmers and has received grant from the government in the past.
The minority affairs minister said even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the institute in the past and praised its work.
The VSI's branch in Jalna, central Maharashtra, will work in the interest of farmers in Marathwada, where the crop sugarcane is being cultivated in a big way now, Malik said.
"Some friends in the BJP have raised questions that this decision was taken because of Pawar Saheb. This decision is in the interest of farmers," Malik told reporters at state secretariat.
"Former CM Fadnavis Saheb had given his assent to forward the file relating to the issue before it came up for discussion in the cabinet. Are BJP leaders criticising Devendra ji's decision? He took a positive view of this. Was he wrong?" Malik asked.
He said the VSI-related decision is not akin to the previous BJP government allotting lands to Yoga guru Ramdev allegedly for commercial activities at cheaper rates.
The VSI was established in 1975 by sugarcane growers of the co-operative sugar factories. The institute conducts scientific, technical and educational functions relevant to the sugar industry and its allied segments under one roof.
Pawar, a former Union Agriculture Minister, is the chairman of the institute.
The NCP is the second largest constituent in the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
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