By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 1 Mar: Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj has described the new land law as an effective measure to halt land jihad and attempts to change the demography of Uttarakhand. In a statement issued on Saturday, he stated that the people of the state are standing with the government in this historic step to secure forest land.
Maharaj said that the Land Law Amendment Act brought by the government is intended to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state. He claimed that after the implementation of this law, no land mafia can look at the lands of the state with ill intentions. The people of the state, especially those in the hills, were worried that outsiders had occupied lands on a large scale through illegal means. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami understood their concerns and constituted a high-level committee along with the formation of the government. Detailed discussions were held with all affected parties, and experts and legal experts were consulted. The prepared draft was passed as a bill by the Cabinet and brought to the House. To give it legal effect, all constitutional procedures were followed, and the Opposition was given time to provide their opinions in the House.
Maharaj criticised the Opposition, questioning how the bill, which was passed unanimously in the House, became problematic for them once it was enacted. He accused the Congress of double politics and inconsistent attitudes.
Maharaj emphasised that the government, under the leadership of Dhami, has made it clear that this is just the beginning of efforts to save the state’s resources and land. Any positive suggestions that arise in the future will be seriously considered. The objective is clear: there is always room for improvement in the land law for the conservation and promotion of land in the state.
The senior Cabinet minister claimed that, earlier, on the instructions of the Chief Minister, strict action was taken against those who violated the previous land law. Thousands of acres of land were freed from the possession of mafias, causing the Opposition to suffer the most. The same people are now trying to spread lies, confusion, and rumors about the land law. However, the people of the state trust PM Modi and CM Dhami and are standing firmly with the government in this historic step to protect the forest and land.
