Jamshedpur: The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Sangh, held on Sunday at the Motilal Nehru Public School (MNPS) premises, witnessed an uproar over a controversial land purchase. Members raised serious allegations regarding the acquisition of 4.51 acres of CNT-affected land in Dobo (Chandil) for approximately ₹ 8.25 crore six years ago.
Audit Report Implicates Former Officials
Presided over by Sangh President Akhilesh Kumar Dubey, the meeting saw the public release of an internal audit report. The findings cast a shadow of doubt on the roles of former President Vijay Singh Rana, former Secretary Dr. D.P. Shukla, and former Treasurer Devesh Awasthi.
The primary allegation involves the transfer of land funds to a private firm, ‘Messer Spectrum Industrial Project Private Limited,’ rather than the actual landowner. When questioned, Vijay Rana defended the move, citing the urgency of tax savings during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, members rejected this justification, arguing that if schools could operate online, the committee could have held a transparent virtual meeting.
New High-Level Probe Committee
Amid the heated debate, Dr. D.P. Shukla offered an apology for any “technical errors” but protested that the previous probe did not give him a fair hearing. Consequently, the AGM unanimously dissolved the old report and formed a new high-level investigation committee:
- Chairman: Anurag Agnihotri
- Members: JB Singh, Pratap Bhanu Singh, HC Tiwari, Ashwini Raghuvanshi, Kamalendu Shukla, and Angel Upadhyay.
The committee has one month to hear all parties and recommend disciplinary action.
Key Decisions on Trust and Membership
Beyond the land dispute, the Sangh addressed several administrative reforms:
- Successor Membership: President Akhilesh Dubey announced that family members can now take over the memberships of deceased or terminally ill members.
- MNPS Enrollment: The Sangh expressed concern over declining student numbers at MNPS. They attributed the dip to the New Education Policy but pledged to implement new enrollment strategies.
- Transparency in Trust: Members questioned the formation of the ‘Uttar Pradesh Sangh Trust’ parallel to the existing Society Act structure. The board agreed to make the Trust more transparent and increase member participation.
Out of 200 life members, 110 attended the session, where the annual accounts were eventually passed. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by SS Mishra.
