An uproar has been created after Yash Vardhan Singh, brother-in-law of late Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, alleged that “illegal” construction work of a national highway had been started on his private land in Madhya Pradesh, on the very day when cremation of Gen Rawat and his wife was held.
In a social media post, Singh sought justice, saying that the construction has destroyed mausoleums of his ancestors and some trees owned by him in native Suhagpur of Shahdol district. He also alleged that he has been threatened with police action in case he interferes in the matter.
The Shahdol district administration has swung into action after the uproar and stopped the road construction work temporarily.
Singh is the brother of Gen Rawat's wife Madhulika who was also killed in the helicopter crash in Coonoor on December 8. The family is still in Delhi after the cremation of the couple on December 10.
“On the day when cremation of brother-in-law Gen Bipin Rawat and sister Madhulika Rawat was being held, the situation was taken advantage of. On the direction of the Government of India, construction of the national highway was started on the campus of our private residence in Shahdol, MP, without land acquisition and by illegally destroying mausoleums (of ancestors and father) and by cutting trees. Also, orders have been issued to local police to register a case against me if I interfered,” Yash Vardhan Singh posted in Hindi on Facebook, along with photographs of the road construction and cremation.
The issue pertains to construction of a four-lane section of national highway 43 from Katni in MP to Gumla in Jharkhand. The contentious patch of the highway is passing through the campus of Singh household in Suhagpur of Shahdol. Singh told media that no notice was issued for acquisition of an additional patch of land before the construction was started on it. He said that he got to know about the construction only through a phone call by the contractor, right on the day of cremation of his sister and Gen Rawat.
Following Singh's social media post, Shahdol district collector Vandana Vaidya issued a video statement in the matter, saying that the construction of the contentious patch of road has been stopped till Singh returns from Delhi. She said that she has spoken to Singh and when he returns from Delhi, his position will be heard completely and issues resolved as per rule.
The collector said that 0.838 hectare land belonging to Singh's family was acquired in 2015 and compensation of over Rs 2.14 crores was paid in 2016. Recently, a notification was issued for acquisition of another 0.056 hectare land under rule 3A for construction of a slip road.
“I spoke to him (Singh) personally and there was mention of mausoleums. I got that checked by the tehsildar and revenue inspector. The same have already been displaced and the road construction is in advanced stage of on the spot. He also mentioned cutting of some trees for which compensation was not paid to him. He has already represented the matter in the SDM court and the SDM will initiate action as per rules. Yet, construction on the said patch of road have been stopped,” Vaidya said.
Meanwhile, state home minister Narottam Mishra took cognizance of the mention of threat of police action in Singh's post and asked the police administration to refrain from any such action. “I have directed the superintendent of police of Shahdol to ensure that no action is initiated against Yash Vardhan Singh or his family before giving prior information to him (Mishra). If the police have engaged in any kind of prejudice or have accorded indulgence to any illegal action, I will personally look into the matter and strict action will be taken on those found guilty,” Mishra tweeted.
