On Wednesday (10th January) Pratik Sinha, a resident of Dahilamau in the Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, wrote a complaint letter to the editors of the daily newspaper Hindustan and asked for proof that they used to ‘declare’ his transferrable plot in Ranjitpur Chilbila area of Dahilamau as an illegal encroachment over the government land.
The newspaper had called the plot of the complainant an illegal encroachment in a report dated 8th January 2024 after which the administration under the directives of the deputy collector ran bulldozers over the said property. Pratik Sinha has also asked the editors why they called him a land mafia and harmed his reputation. In a separate letter to the deputy collector, he sought permission to abuse the editors in their office on 15th January at noon.
In his letter to the editors of the Hindustan Media Ventures Limited Prayagraj, Pratik Sinha said, “On Monday, 8 January 2024, in the news published by the District Correspondent and Bureau Chief of Hindustan Newspaper, Pratapgarh, it has been claimed that illegal plotting was done on the land of the municipality, illegal plotting was done by bridging the drains.”
#प्रतापगढ़। दहिलामऊ निवासी प्रतीक सिन्हा ने समाचार पत्र के संपादक शशि शेखर और प्रबंध संपादक प्रताप सोमवंशी सहित प्रयागराज के स्थानीय संपादक ने को शिकायती पत्र भेजकर अवैध प्लॉटिंग के सम्बन्ध में दिनांक-08/01/2024 और दिनांक- 10/01/2024 के प्रतापगढ़ संस्करण में प्रकाशित खबर पर… pic.twitter.com/sXMpPBm5fk
— khulasa India (@KhulasaIndia) January 10, 2024
He further emphasised, “Today, on 10 January 2024, the news was published prominently that SDM Sadar’s bulldozer razed an illegal occupation of government land. I inform you that I am a transferable owner of the said land on which the bulldozer has been run and it is not within your power to declare the owner of a land illegal without verifying the facts.”
Sinha said, “It has tarnished my reputation and lowered the dignity of your newspaper. This prestigious newspaper has caused great economic and social damage. Thus, the victim has no option but to approach the court and file a defamation claim. Through this registry, I inform you and the Editor-in-Chief Shri Shashi Shekhar Ji, Managing Editor Shri Pratap Somvanshi Ji that if any evidence proves the said land is illegal occupation of government land and government drain or barren land, send it to me, otherwise be ready for court proceedings.”
#हिंदुस्तान अखबार में आज चिलबिला में अवैध प्लॉटिंग पर चला बुलडोजर शीर्षक से प्रकाशित खबर से संक्रमणीय भूमधर प्रतीक सिन्हा ने आपत्ति जताई और संपादक एवं प्रबंध संपादक सहित स्थानीय संपादक प्रयागराज को पत्र भेजकर प्रकाशित खबर पर कड़ी आपत्ति जताया है। साथ ही खबर प्रकाशित करने का… pic.twitter.com/ftzkLoXorN
— khulasa India (@KhulasaIndia) January 10, 2024
In another letter dated 11th January, Pratik Sinha wrote to the deputy collector of the Pratapgarh district, “On 9 January 2024, my land, which is located in Ranjitpur Chilbila, was bulldozed without giving any reason. Hindustan newspaper published news on the same without checking the facts and called me a land mafia and my land was called government land. I have sent a legal notice to the Hindustan newspaper.”
आपने आज तक ऐसा शिकायती पत्र नही देखा होगा… जो आज वॉयरल हो रहा है…
— Akhilesh Tiwari (अखिलेश तिवारी) (@Akhilesh_tiwa) January 12, 2024
प्रार्थी प्रतीक सिन्हा ने अखबार के लोगों को मां बहन की गाली देने के लिए एसडीएम प्रतापगढ़ से अनुमति मांगी है… । pic.twitter.com/GapxmrUhIF
He further said, “The said newspaper has tarnished my reputation. In protest against this, on 15 January 2024 at 12:00 noon, I want to put a mic in front of the Hindustan office in Bhangwachungi to abuse the bureau chief and district correspondent for two hours. I assure you that even if there is a lot of desire to do so, the applicant will neither hit the editors with a shoe nor threaten anyone. After the program, I will present myself before the City Kotwal so that I can be booked under the relevant sections. Please give the necessary permissions. The applicant will be grateful.”
Notably, the bulldozer action by the Pratapgarh administration came on 9th January, a day after the Hindustan newspaper published news about the allegedly encroached lands near government drains and alleged that due to these illegal plots, water logging has become a serious issue in the Ranjitpur Chilbila area.
Taking cognisance of this, deputy collector Udaybhan Singh took action against the landholders and ran bulldozers over the land to level it to address the drainage issue.
