MP: BJP leader alleges Kamal Nath govt renewed Scindia School land lease for free

BJP leader MLA Vijay Shah on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led government renewed for free the lease of over 100 acres of land allocated to a school run by Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in Gwalior.

"The government has allocated 146 acre of land which is worth more than 4 billion to Jyotiraditya Scindia's 'Scindia Education Society' (which runs the school) in Gwalior. Why was the land allocated to a school where only children of rich are enrolled and which levies around 13 lakh fee in a year on the students?" Shah, who was former state Education Minister questioned.

Shah, a BJP MLA, also alleged that the government allocated the land to Scindia School in order to pacify Scindia as he could not make it to the Chief Minister's post.

He said, "Since Scindia was also in the race of Chief Minister's post, Kamal Nath stuck a deal with him and donated the land."

Refuting the BJP leader's charges, Cabinet Minister Pradhyumn Singh Tomar said the land was already in the possession of the trust and the government has only renewed the lease.

"Scindia school was there even before I was born. They are trying to create misunderstanding. Land allotted is not new. It was just renewal. Even poor children study in that school," said Tomar, who is considered a Scindia loyalist.

The Gwalior legislator alleged that the previous BJP government had allocated hundreds of acre of land to Rashtriya Swansevak Sangh and its student wing ABVP during its rule in the last 15 years.

Scindia School, originally Sardars' School, was founded in 1897 by HH Maharaja Madhavrao Scindia I, according to a description on the school's website.

Jyotiraditya Scindia who lost the recent Lok Sabha elections heads the school.

( With inputs from ANI )