Maithili Thakur's Father Accused Of Encroaching On Government Land, Bulldozer Action Taken At Night

Patna: The land dispute related to the family of Maithili Thakur, BJP MLA from Alinagar assembly seat of the Darbhanga district of Bihar, is in the news. Her father Ramesh Thakur has been accused of encroaching on government and private land. After the matter came to light, the local administration reached the spot and got the land measured. After the initial demarcation, instructions were also given to remove the fences and dividers built outside the main gate. However, Maithili Thakur has termed the allegations against her family as baseless.

What action did the administration take?

Following the complaint of the villagers, DCLR Ajay Kumar and Circle Officer Alok Kumar reached Pokharbhinda village with a team of officers on Thursday. The officials inspected the disputed site in the presence of the complainants and local people and got the land measured. After initial investigation found encroachment on the government road, instructions were given to remove the bricks laid on the road and the dividers built on both sides. After this the workers started the work of demolishing the construction. 

The administration has not yet given a final decision on the disputes related to private land. The concerned people have been asked to present the original documents of their land. Both the parties have been called to the Janata Darbar to be held on November 14. According to officials, further action will be decided only after scrutiny and demarcation of documents. 

What complaint have the villagers made?

The villagers had lodged a complaint with the zonal officer and the Chief Minister's office. They allege that the public road is being obstructed due to the construction being done by Ramesh Thakur. In the complaint, allegations of encroachment on private land, collective Shraddha place, place of village deity and drain land have also been made. Some villagers have complained about encroachment on their private land and closure of the road. The investigation into these allegations is still ongoing.

What clarification did Maithili Thakur give?

Maithili Thakur has termed the allegations against her family as wrong. She says that the family has valid documents of the land purchased and no one's land has been encroached upon. She has asked the accusers to present evidence before the concerned authorities instead of giving statements on social media. 

Why are political questions being raised on the controversy?

There is intense discussion regarding the matter on social media also. Some people are raising questions citing old statements of Ramesh Thakur, in which he had talked about leaving the state and going to Delhi during the so-called 'Jungle Raj' period of Bihar. At the same time, opposition leaders have demanded an impartial investigation into the matter.

At present, the administration has taken action to remove encroachment from the government road, while investigation and verification of documents on claims related to private land is still pending.