Following a DNA expose regarding undeclared land, water resources minister Girish Mahajan said on Wednesday that he will meet Dalit farmers on Friday and execute the decision of returning 4.97 acres of land in Manpur, Bhusawal in Jalgaon district, to them.

On Tuesday, the Congress accused the minister of "forcibly" acquiring land in Jalgaon district in 2002, under the pretext of setting up a sugar mill.

The BJP leader concealed the details of this 4.97 acres of land in his election affidavits of 2004, 2009 and 2014. Besides, it has been alleged that the minister forcibly snatched the land from Dalit farmers at a throwaway price.

Harish Govind Tayade (40), son of farmer Govind Jangalu who passed away recently, said they received a call from Mahajan's office on Wednesday and they were told that the minister was ready to return their land.

"The minister's personal assistant told me that he will be at Jamner (Jalgaon) on Friday. I have been called to meet the minister, where he will draw a plan to give back the land. I will not pay anything to Mahajan in return. In fact, the minister has to pay us for the loss of 14 years, when our 4.97 acres land was lying barren," Tayade said.

He added that their land was a Mahar Vatan (gift by the government) land, which Mahajan bought from his father and relatives forcibly. "We are thankful to dna for exposing the minister. Dalit people have been exploited by elected representatives," Tayade said.

He added that Mahajan cheated them. "The land was taken for a sugar factory but it was kept barren for 14 years. Recently, the minister constructed a compound wall to protect the land. For the last one year, ground leveling work has also been going on there. We also heard that the minister was planning a mango orchard at the spot," said the farmer.

Mahajan has refuted all charges. "I decided to return the land to end this controversy," he said. Sources close to Mahajan told dna that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis asked him to return the land to end the controversy.

Meanwhile, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said, "The issue is more than returning the land. Concealing property details in election affidavits is a grave offence. We will take up this issue legally and demand Mahajan's disqualification as MLA."

Cong, NCP demand Mahajan's resignation

Congress and NCP took out a joint protest march in Jamner on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of water resources minister Girish Mahajan. NCP leader Sanjay Garud said they have submitted a memorandum, demanding Mahajan's disqualification. "If anyone hides any detail in the election affidavit, the person can get a six-month imprisonment or get debarred from contesting polls for six years. Mahajan should not be allowed to contest the elections for the next 18 years and should go to jail for 18 months," said Garud.