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Vadodara committee unanimously approves Yusuf Pathan land plot

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 4:31 PM UTC · How we work

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Congress dharna over land

Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee unanimously approved a 978-square-metre plot for former cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Yusuf Pathan on 23 October 2026.
The approval revived Pathan’s 2012 request, rejected in 2014, prompting a citizens’ group to question gifting public land to a sportsperson.
INR20.5 crore plot includes 500 sq m as a gift and 478 sq m sold at 55 % price.
Congress corporators staged a dharna outside the hall, alleging the transfer gifts land worth INR15 crore.

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Athlete land concession

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s standing committee unanimously approved a 978-square-metre plot for former cricketer and ex-MP Yusuf Pathan on 23 October 2026.
Pathan left the Trinamool Congress, joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India in June 2026, and was named its national vice-president.
The allocation follows Gujarat’s policy granting land concessions to internationally recognised sportspersons.
Congress councillors staged a dharna, accusing the BJP of favouritism toward Pathan.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, India’s National Sports Policy formally urged state governments to reward internationally recognised athletes with land and cash incentives. The policy, championed by then-Union Minister Sunil Dutt, earmarked INR100 crore for sports facilities and athlete benefits across 28 states. Gujarat’s 2001 land-grant scheme, launched by Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and later applied to cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, mirrors today’s Vadodara allocation to Yusuf Pathan. The precedent fuels ongoing legal challenges and political protests, prompting the Gujarat High Court to consider stricter transparency rules for future public-land gifts.

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Congress dharna over land

Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee unanimously approved a 978-square-metre plot for former cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Yusuf Pathan on 23 October 2026.
The approval revived Pathan’s 2012 request, rejected in 2014, prompting a citizens’ group to question gifting public land to a sportsperson.
INR20.5 crore plot includes 500 sq m as a gift and 478 sq m sold at 55 % price.
Congress corporators staged a dharna outside the hall, alleging the transfer gifts land worth INR15 crore.

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