Will back stir by Ramdev against land cancellation: BJP

A day after Himachal Pradesh government took over possession of the land given to Ramdev's trust after cancelling its lease, BJP today said it will support any agitation by the Yoga teacher against the move.

"Himachal BJP would back any agitation by Ramdev against cancellation of land lease to Patanjali Yoga Peeth," state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti said on Saturday.

On Friday, the Himachal authorities, in a swift but peaceful move, had taken over the land given to Ramdev's trust Patanjali Yogpeeth by the previous BJP regime, three days after the state government decided to cancel its lease.

Satti said the move of Congress government has only created political ill and given credence to the allegations that it was targeting the political rivals.

"We are with Ramdev on this issue and demand a review of decision by the government," Satti said.

The lease would be reconsidered when BJP comes to power in the state, he said, adding, the previous BJP government had given land to 'Patanjali Yogapeeth' to facilitate setting up a centre for propagation of Yoga and Ayurveda, which would provide employment thousands of youth.

"It would have only benefited the people of Himachal but unfortunately, the Congress has overlooked the interests of common man," Satti said.

The party chief came down heavily on the ruling Congress.

Satti alleged that the Congress government has not taken any decision in public interest during its two months rule, except ordering inquiries, changing the names of the schemes started by the BJP.

In a strong worded resolution adopted at the first meeting of state executive after Satti was appointed state BJP chief for second term, the party alleged that BJP leaders, MLAs and workers are being implicated in false cases by the state government.

"The BJP leaders, MLAs and workers are being implicated in false cases and Congress leader are pressurising the officers for getting contracts but the BJP would not take the things lying down and give a befitting reply by opposing these actions in Vidhan Sabha and in the streets," the resolution said.

In another resolution, BJP attacked the UPA government for unprecedented price rise and mega scams and said the country "has seen the most inefficient government since independence" under the nine-year rule of Congress-led UPA.

"The entire country is affected by unbridled price rise and inflation, prices of diesel, petrol and LPG have been hiked repeatedly, number of domestic LPG cylinder has been capped to nine, prices of steel, cement and building material have increased manifold by the UPA government," the resolution said.

The BJP also attacked the Congress government for changing the names of Atal Ann Yojana, Atal Uniform Yojana and Atal Swasthya Yojana and said that hundreds of schemes have been named after Indira and Rajiv Gandhi but the Congress was allergic to the schemes and programmes being named after leaders of other parties like former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The HP BJP chief said that the party would go ahead with formation of five more organisational districts and the state executive of the party today approved the move in the presence of BJP general secretary J P Nadda.

Three new organisational districts would be in Kangra and one each in Mandi and Shimla districts.