Patna, Jan 1 (IANS) In Bihar, the ruling Janata Dal (United) has demanded that the ongoing crackdown on land mafia be extended to include an investigation into the land holdings of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar raised this demand before Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who also holds the Revenue and Land Reforms portfolio.

Responding to the demand, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said that his campaign against land mafia in the state would continue without discrimination.

“If JD(U) leaders submit a formal application during his public interaction program, the department and the government would certainly consider it and investigate the land holdings by the former Chief Minister,” Sinha said while interacting with media persons in Patna on Thursday.

Amid the Bungalow row of Rabri Devi, Neeraj Kumar is continuously raising the issue of land owned by the former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna and other places of Bihar.

Vijay Sinha has launched an aggressive drive against land mafia, land brokers, and departmental officials allegedly colluding with them.

Since assuming charge of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department, he has ordered continuous strict action, creating a climate of fear among land grabbers and corrupt officials alike.

As part of this initiative, the Deputy Chief Minister earlier held weekly public interaction programs in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Purnea, and Katihar, where he had listened to land-related grievances and resolved many cases on the spot.

During these hearings, several negligent officials have also faced disciplinary action.

The campaign has reportedly caused unrest among corrupt officials within the department.

Some of them have written letters seeking intervention from authorities ranging from the Chief Minister to the Governor.

However, Vijay Sinha has maintained that he will not bow to any pressure and that the drive against land-related corruption will continue unabated.

–IANS

ajk/rad