Gehlot skips MLA's hospitality over allegations of by-laws violation

Gehlot skips MLA's hospitality over allegations of by-laws violation
PRADEEP KAUSHAL

JAIPUR, SEPT 10: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was scheduled to inaugurate state Congress legislator Heera Lal Bishnoi's three-star hotel at Jodhpur yesterday, kept away following allegations that the hotel building had been constructed in violation of the town by-laws.

Sources said here today that even as Bishnoi, his friends and relations kept waiting for the Chief Minister to keep his appointment for 11.30 a.m., Gehlot, who was on a tour of his home-town, disappointed him. The sources said that he decided to skip the function on the advice of senior district officials.

When contacted by The Indian Express, Gehlot confirmed that he haddeliberately stayed away. He said he had informed Bishnoi beforehand that it would not be proper on his part to inaugurate the hotel while it awaited sanction from the local municipal corporation for the deviations from the by-laws made in the construction. He said, ``It is imperative that we, who hold important positions, do not appear to be condoning or approving any violation of the law.''

Gehlot has, of late, started acting firm against land encroachers. After carrying out an unprecedented anti-encroachment drive in Jaipur early this year, he is now busy removing encroachments from the area adjacent to Sanganer Airport here in order to facilitate its upgradation to the international level.

Bishnoi's hotel -- Apex International -- falls in the Sardarpura Assembly constituency of Jodhpur city represented by Gehlot. Bishnoi, a second-time MLA, represents Sanchore constituency in the neighbouring Jalore district bordering Gujarat.

The allegations levelled against Bishnoi are that his hotel, a commercial building, has been constructed in a residential area; the portion shown as the parking place in the site plan has been converted into a restaurant; a six-foot porch has been built over the entrance by encroaching on public land and the road leading to the hotel has been partially occupied.

When contacted over the phone, Bishnoi told The Indian Express that some officials had misled the Chief Minister, who stayed away from the functioneven though he had explained orally and in writing on all the issues raised by his detractors. He said he had constructed the hotel on ``free land'' and it was within his rights to put it to commercial use.

Bishnoi said the pillars supporting the porch had been raised on public land in the front, but he had submitted an application to the municipal corporation for its allotment to him at market rates two months ago. ``Some vested interests have misplaced my application at the corporation office,'' he alleged. Bishnoi said that it was ``illogical that so much fuss is being made about a six-foot piece of land in my case, while no one is raising a finger at the people who have occupied even 12-foot pieces on the sameroad.''

Regarding the restaurant being set up in the parking area, he claimed thathe had not gone beyond the site plan. When questioned about the occupation of the road, the MLA said he had only put tiles on a part of the road to make it smooth.

While the merits of Bishnoi's arguments are yet to be substantiated, the fact is that no one, including the Chief Minister, seems to be prima facie convinced. Gehlot's rebuff has made Bishnoi all the more vulnerable.