Maithili Thakur’s family accused of land grab; officials remove encroachment on government area

Popular folk singer and BJP MLA Maithili Thakur has found herself in a controversy with her family being accused of encroachment and land grab on government road as well as private properties in Darbhanga district.

Even though allegations with regard to the private land remain to be examined, officials confirmed encroachment on government road in the form of a boundary wall and demolished it on Thursday.

Thakur has rejected the allegations against her family, claiming she was only building a home in her Alinagar constituency to hold public hearings. The dispute, however, has acquired political overtones with Opposition RJD alleging that legislators of the state’s ruling NDA were “looting the public”.

The matter pertains to Pokharbhinda village of Tardih block in the district.

Revenue officials, who measured the disputed site, found that the family had encroached on a portion of the road. Other complaints, including those concerning private land, remain to be examined, said officials.

Even though allegations with regard to the private land remain to be examined, officials confirmed encroachment on government road in the form of a boundary wall and demolished it on Thursday. (Screengrab)

The action comes after several villagers approached the circle officer alleging encroachment on the government road, private plots, the land of the village deity ‘Tiwari Baba’, the Radhakrishna temple, a collective shraddhasthal (sacred spot), and a drain.

The matter was reportedly also brought before the Chief Minister’s Office and registered on the state government’s Sahyog portal.

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Even though allegations with regard to the private land remain to be examined, officials confirmed encroachment on government road in the form of a boundary wall and demolished it on Thursday. (Screengrab)On Thursday, Deputy Collector Land Reforms (DCLR) Ajay Kumar and Circle Officer Alok Kumar visited the village with a team and got the land measured in the presence of complainants and local residents.

After the initial verification indicated encroachment on the government road, the administration removed the construction and restored public access.

“Encroachment on the government road was found during the initial measurement and has been removed immediately,” DCLR Kumar said. He said that other complainants have been asked to appear at the circle office on Saturday, where their documents and complaints will be examined before further action.

‘Was threatened with false cases’

With regard to private property, one Gagan Kumar Mishra of Pokharbhinda alleged in an application to the Tardih circle officer, dated November 7, that Thakur’s father Ramesh had grabbed 3 decimals of his land.
Mishra further alleged that when he sought the removal of the alleged encroachment, he was threatened with being implicated in false cases. He sought an inspection of the plots, restoration of possession, and removal of the alleged encroachment.

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Officials, meanwhile, said the alleged encroachment concerning the temple land falls within Madhubani district and advised villagers to lodge their complaint before the administration there.

Revenue officials, who measured the disputed site, found that the family had encroached on a portion of the road. Other complaints, including those concerning private land, remain to be examined, said officials (Screengrab)

Meanwhile, rejecting the allegations against her family, Thakur said they were “completely baseless”. She said, “I have all the documents. If there are concerns, people should contact the local circle officer or the DCLR.”

Baseless rumours, says MLA

She said a house was being built in Pokharbhinda, part of her Alinagar constituency, with the support of village elders. “There is no such problem. Completely baseless rumours are being spread,” she said. Thakur said those making the allegations should produce evidence. At the same time, she said she was building a home in the village with an intention to hold public hearings there and remain available to her constituents.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) working president and Bihar Assembly Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said, “BJP MLA Maithili Thakur and her father Ramesh Thakur have illegally occupied government land worth several hundred crore rupees, a public road, a collective shraddhasthal and private plots in Tardih block of Darbhanga district.”

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The matter pertains to Pokharbhinda village of Tardih block in the district. (Screengrab)

Alleging that legislators of the state’s ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) were looting the public, he asked what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had to say about them.

Taking a dig at Thakur, Tejashwi said the MLA, who had allegedly witnessed “jungle raj in the womb”, was now “singing bhajans in Mangal Raj” while encroaching on government and villagers’ land. He was referring to a speech by the 26-year-old legislator in the Assembly earlier this year in which she was heard talking about the pre-2005 days in Bihar, before the previous Nitish Kumar government came to power.

Tejashwi’s elder brother and national president of the Jan Shakti Janata Dal, Tej Pratap Yadav, also sought an “impartial, transparent and high-level” inquiry into the allegations against Ramesh Thakur. “The law should be equal for everyone. No person can be kept away from investigation on the basis of political identity, popularity or influence,” he said.