IAC activists in the dock

Tables have turned. Now it is the turn of Congress and BJP to make accusations against activists of India Against Corruption (IAC). Accusations of 'corruption', of all things. Ironically, allegations against all the three members are related to land deals. It must be noted here that over the last fortnight, IAC has vociferously attacked Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and BJP president Nitin Gadkari for their alleged involvement in major land scams.

 

This is not the first time that IAC activists are embroiled in controversy. But this time the nature of controversy is different as the members are accused of corruption and that too in land dealings.

 

The first to come under the scanner is Anjali Damania, a relatively new entrant into IAC. The allegations against her is that she is also involved in controversial land dealing in Maharashtra. The lady came into prominence after she cast aspersions on BJP chief Nitin Gadkari for harming the interests of farmers through his business links.

 

Her credibility immediately took a beating when the Vidarbha farmer who was said to have been exploited by Gadkari, surfaced and refuted all claims made by Anjali. Moreover, two farmers, from whom Anjali had bought seven acres of agricultural land, said that she divided the land into 39 plots and of which 37 plots were sold to private individuals till August 2011.

 

The farmers from whom she bought the land also said that they were cheated by Damania because while buying the land, she assured them that the land would be used for agro based business which would provide employment to locals. Later the same land was sold off to others.

 

The primary charges against her entails 'change of land use', which is in contrary to IAC's campaign regarding laws related to land use. Anjali has vigorously defended herself and has blamed the government for their policy in changing agricultural land to non-agricultural land.

 

The other IAC member Prashant Bhushan's case is also quite similar. The IAC had raised questions regarding Priyanka Vadra's property in Shimla. A day later, the Congress demanded an inquiry into Prashant Bhushan's land in Kangra district, around 250 kilometers from Shimla.

 

Prashant Bhushan is also faced with allegations of change in land use. Bhushan is said to have purchased 4.68 hectares of land that had tea gardens for his Kumud Bhushan Educational Society.

Questions have been raised about Bhushan's motive in buying the land no school is reportedly run from that plot of land.

 

The third activist Mayank Gandhi has been accused of using his clout to help a real estate company in Mumbai bag a construction contract. Gandhi's uncle owns the company whose deal has been cancelled by the Maharashtra government for irregularities.

 

Arvind Kejriwal did well to immediately order an internal probe of his close aides by three retired judges. The three even held a press conference and welcomed the probe. It was looked upon as a smart move on the part of IAC and Kejriwal.

 

But what is baffling is the fact that the same IAC activists who have always thrived on media trials of politicians, refused to share their own documents with the media, saying, they "do not want a trial by the media on this issue".

 

 

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