Shri C. Ve. Shanmugam, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), in a representation to the Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, has demanded that a CBI inquiry be done into the land exchanges, according to a report by the Times of India yesterday (November 11th, 2024).
The Minister of State for the Education Ministry stated on 5th August 2024 in a written reply to questions submitted in the Parliament by Viluppuram Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Dr. D. Ravi Kumar regarding the land exchanges done in Auroville that “representations and complaints dealing with land exchanges have been forwarded to Auroville Foundation to examine the merit of the allegation and place in the Governing Board (GB) being the competent authority to recommend suitable course of action”. (See the News and Analysis report of 6th August.)
RA WCom’s press statement in response to the minister’s reply as reported by The Hindu newspaper on 11th August said, “It is “a violation of natural justice” that the Ministry of Education has instructed the Auroville Foundation to conduct an internal investigation into these questionable land exchanges, when it is this very administration that is responsible for the said land exchanges.”
Now, the Member of Parliament Shri C. Ve. Shanmugam has said, “I am deeply troubled by the decision to forward the complaints against the governing board of the Auroville Foundation to the same board for examination and recommendation. This raises serious doubts about the impartiality and fairness of any internal inquiry”.
He also pointed out that, “Auroville Foundation exchanged land along national and state highways with high market value for land in remote areas with less market value, and “the valuation of the exchanged land appears inconsistent with current market rates, potentially leading to losses for the foundation which are estimated to exceed Rs. 246 crores”.
Responding to the MP’s representation, Union Minister Pradhan said the issue had been forwarded to the “department concerned” for action. Apparently the Minister stands by the earlier decision of the department that the Governing Board “is the competent authority to recommend suitable course of action”.
The Governing Board of Auroville held its last meeting (67th) on 31st May 2024. No minutes of the meeting have yet been uploaded, nor has any further Governing Board meeting held thereafter.