Shimla: Opposition Congress has accused the
ruling BJP of providing over 30 acres of land to yoga guru
Ramdev at a "throwaway" price in Solan district and has
questioned its motive in doing so.
The state government has given 38 acres of land to Ramdev
to open a branch of his health centre `Patanjali yogapeeth`.
The area has been provided on 99-year lease at Kalhog in
Kandaghat tehsil of Solan district, about 55 km from here, at
a cost of Rs 16 lakh.
State Congress president and MLA Kaul Singh Thakur in
the state Assembly early this week protested the transfer of
prime government land to the yoga guru at concessional rate.
Thakur said Ramdev already had a health centre at
Haridwar and added that "largesse" to the yoga guru would not
help BJP as Ramdev has announced that he would launch his own
political party, which will ultimately harm the saffron party.
Health Minister Bindal contested the charge and said the
health centre, which would be developed in the area, the first
outside Haridwar, would make it a popular destination from
health point of view.
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal also defended the
decision and said the government dealt with Ramdev only for
sale of herbs and promotion of yoga in the state.
PTI
