Sandeep Ashar

Pune farmer Dhyaneshwar Gule holds a grouse against his fellow ‘farmer’ - star of the millennium Amitabh Bachchan. And he wants to settle it by meeting Big B in person. Gule’s family owned the 24-acre agricultural plot at Pale, in Pune’s Maval taluka, which Bachchan acquired in 2006 for “setting up a farm house”.

The Tenancy and Agricultural land Act, 1963, allows only farmers to purchase agricultural land in Maharashtra. So, the star used his status as owner of cultivable land in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, to establish his credentials as a ‘farmer’, and staked claim on Gule’s land.

Even as authorities try to figure out whether the star’s claim of being a farmer is valid, Gule alleges that none of his family members took part in the land sale, which was effected by “dubious agents” (names withheld). He goes on to add that the agents forged the power of attorney of his father, Namdeo Gule, first, to make handsome profits from the sale, and then, to parcel out 16 more acres of land owned by the family.

“We came to know about Big B’s purchase, only after we were told about it by the tehsildar’s office,” said Gule.

Moving from pillar to post ever since he learnt about the case, Gule contends that the filmstar should at least have checked the plot’s status and met the owners before making the purchase. Ironically, while the super hero became a ‘farmer’ to procure the land, that original farmer has been left with no land to till.

“I now work as a labourer with a tobacco company in Pune,while my two children add to the family income by doing petty jobs,” said Gule.

So, why does the farmer want to meet Big B? “I will request him to give my land back, or to compensate me adequately”, the farmer says. In fact,while visiting the city for a convention of the National Alliance of People’s Movement on Sunday, Gule got busy trying to dig out Big B’s contact coordinates.

“He is a star who can afford to donate over Rs50 lakh to a shrine for his son’s wedding.We will get an utterly necessary source of income and family property back, if he returns us the land. Lest, he should compensate us adequately,” said Gule.

DNA tried to get in touch with Bachchan, but couldn’t get through to him. SMS es sent to him went unanswered.

Source : DNA