‘Betrayal gift, Modi hai to...’: Netizens link Gujarat govt's Yusuf Pathan land deal to TMC-BJP switch

A proposal by the Gujarat government to hand over a long-disputed municipal plot in Vadodara to former cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Yusuf Pathan has sparked commentary on X (Twitter). The move comes months after Pathan broke away from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ranks in Parliament.

Under the new proposal submitted by the Vadodara municipal commissioner, a 500-square-metre portion of the land will be "gifted" to Pathan, whilst the remaining 478 square metres will be offered at a 45 per cent concessional rate. The agenda shared on Monday confirms that the proposal will be presented for final approval before the standing committee of the BJP-ruled Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Friday, October 23.

Netizens react with sharp political commentary

The news of the proposed land allotment has drawn a wave of reactions from netizens online. A section of users on X pointed out the political timing of the decision, linking it directly to Pathan's transition from the opposition to the ruling alliance. 

Many social media users mocked the development, using popular political tropes like the "washing machine" metaphor to suggest that switching to the ruling alliance cleanses past disputes and land allegations.

One social media user described the decision as a "Sweet deal after joining NDA!. A simple reaction read: "Ha ha ha".

Some users drew comparisons with other political cases, with one post saying: "Criminals after joining BJP”. Several posts pointed out a stark double standard in local administration, noting how a politician labelled as an illegal land occupier while in opposition quickly receives state land as a gift after joining the ruling front. Another critical response alleged: "For a plot worth 20 crore rupees, Yusuf Pathan betrayed the voters and became a fugitive from Trinamool on BJP's behest. What all could be done by giving him two plots? Shameful.".

Online commentary highlights political shifts

Social media discourse further highlighted the contrast in how the land dispute was handled before and after Pathan's political realignment. One commentator observed: "Yusuf Pathan Gets Massive 'Betrayal' Gift from Mamata!". The user added: "As soon as he drew close to the NDA, the Gujarat BJP government turned gracious toward former cricketer Yusuf Pathan. Stay in the opposition and you're a land encroacher; join the NDA and government land becomes a gift. This BJP timeline clearly shows that the country's rules and the meaning of illegal occupation change solely based on political gains.".

Commentators expressed deep disappointment, accusing the former cricketer of sacrificing political principles and voter trust for personal material gain. Several posts pointed out a stark double standard in local administration, noting how a politician labelled as an illegal land occupier while in opposition quickly receives state land as a gift after joining the ruling fold. Others sarcastically remarked that such swift rewards highlight how rules seem to change purely for political advantage.

Comments such as "Modi hai tho Mumkin hai" and "Yusuf Pathan got gift from modi" also circulated online, with users attributing the proposed allotment to his reported association with the NDA. They alleged that a decade-long legal dispute over municipal land was being resolved in Pathan's favour after he aligned himself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political coalition.

Details of the proposed land allotment

The 978-square-metre residential plot at the centre of the controversy is situated adjacent to Pathan's family residence in the Tandalja locality of Vadodara. Pathan has been attempting to acquire the land since 2012.

As per the municipal commissioner's proposal, 500 square metres of the VMC-owned property will be "gifted" to Pathan. The remaining 478 square metres will be provided at a 45 per cent discount, valued at 55 per cent of the rate fixed by the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) Valuation Committee.

The proposal states that the allotment will be made "subject to specific terms and conditions" in line with a 2024 resolution issued by Gujarat's Urban Development and Urban Housing Department. If the VMC standing committee approves the plan on 23 October, it will pave the way for the formal allotment of the plot.

Decade of legal disputes and political backdrop

The plot has been embroiled in a decade-long dispute between Pathan and the civic body. Pathan first requested to buy the adjacent plot in 2012. Although the VMC initially agreed, the Gujarat state government rejected the sale in 2014.

In 2024, after Pathan won the Lok Sabha election from Baharampur in West Bengal on a TMC ticket, the VMC issued him an eviction notice asking him to clear the alleged encroachment and vacate the land. Pathan challenged the notice in the Gujarat High Court, arguing that the issue was over ten years old, that a show-cause notice should have been issued prior to eviction demands, and that the land belonged to the municipal corporation rather than the state government.

The High Court upheld the state government's decision rejecting the allotment. Pathan appealed to a division bench, but in August this year, the appeal was dismissed as withdrawn after his counsel informed the court that he was pursuing his claim under state government policy.

This administrative shift follows political developments in Parliament. Nearly four months ago, Pathan and 20 other TMC Lok Sabha MPs broke away from the Mamata Banerjee-led party, merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to align with the NDA.