Did Cong Demand MoS Mohol's Resignation Over Charitable Trust Land Sale?
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New Delhi, Nov 1 (NationPress) The Congress party has called for the resignation of Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol, citing his alleged role in the unlawful sale of land belonging to a charitable trust to a construction company where he was a partner until December of the previous year.
During a press briefing at the AICC headquarters, Atul Londhe Patil, a Senior Spokesperson for the Maharashtra Congress, claimed that land owned by a charitable trust—home to the Hirachand Digambar Jain Hostel and a temple—was sold for a mere Rs 230 crore, despite its actual market valuation being approximately Rs 2,500 crore.
Challenging the assertions made by the Union Minister, Londhe Patil pointed out that the swift completion of this transaction in just one day suggests that such a deal could not have occurred without Mohol's influence. Mohol serves as the Lok Sabha MP from Pune.
The Maharashtra Congress representative further revealed that the trust deed explicitly prohibits the sale of the land under any conditions, designating it solely for educational uses and to support students, as well as for the operation of the Jain temple on-site.
He emphasized that the deed also indicates that funds can only be raised through the construction of commercial spaces for rent, and not through the sale of the land itself.
Countering Mohol's defense of non-involvement, Londhe Patil raised the question: "How could a builder exert pressure on a charitable trust, the registry office, the municipal corporation, and the banks to expedite all processes without political backing?"
He further queried how it was feasible for the sale agreement, land mortgage, and loan approvals from two banks to all occur within the same day.
Highlighting a conflict of interest, Londhe Patil noted that while Mohol assumed his role as a Union Minister in June 2024, he only divested from Gokhale Builders in December of that year. He stated that first and foremost, the land should not have been sold at all due to its designation as charitable trust property. Additionally, it was grossly undervalued at Rs 230 crore, while one of the firm’s partners indicated the company anticipated generating around Rs 2,500 crore from the forthcoming project.
Londhe Patil demanded Mohol's immediate resignation and called for a comprehensive investigation, asserting that if the minister clears his name, he could be reinstated in the government; otherwise, he should face stringent consequences.