Baba Ramdev gets land at pittance,Cong to hold protest

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s plan of building his Patanjali Yogapeeth in Himachal Pradesh on 96.2 bighas of government land that he has got for only Rs 16 lakh and a lease value of Rs 1 per annum for 99 years has invited criticism from the Congress.

The party wants the land allotment to be either scrapped or be offered at an appropriate value. “We have respect for Baba Ramdev’s yoga,but everyone knows he runs a roaring commercial venture behind his yoga activism. This prime land is worth between Rs 1.50 crore and Rs 2 crore,which has been given to him at a pittance,” said Kaul Singh Thakur,PCC president. Congress will hold demonstration outside the Assembly on April 7 on this issue.

The site is on the banks of Ashwani Khad,a rivulet near the Khandaghat-Chail-Shimla Road,a few kms from Chail,a famous hill destination,and the township of Mahog,the state’s upcoming floriculture belt. Originally,the land belonged to Maharaja of Patiala,who gifted it to then PM Indira Gandhi. She gave it to the state with a rider that Indira Holiday Home Society will retain its possession and activity.