BJP is making allegations regarding the property of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and his family. BJP on Tuesday appealed to the Governor of Karnataka to dismiss Minister Priyank Kharge from the cabinet. It is alleged that land has been allegedly allotted to a trust run by his family, including his father and Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge.
Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy alleged nepotism and claimed that it was a case of criminal betrayal by Kharge towards fellow Scheduled Caste entrepreneurs. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the land allotment and said it was done as per the law.
Meanwhile, Electronics, IT/BT and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister in the Congress government, Priyank Kharge said that there is no illegality in this and accused the BJP of doing politics by complaining to the Governor.
According to PTI, BJP leader Narayanaswamy said in a letter handed over to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot during his meeting, “It is with great sadness that I have brought to your notice yet another case of nepotism of the Karnataka government.”
He said the Siddharth Vihar Trust is being allotted five acres of land under the SC quota by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) at the Hi-Tech Defence Aerospace Park near Bengaluru out of the 45.94 acres earmarked for civic amenities (CA) in March 2024. Interestingly, the trustees of the trust include Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife Radhabai, son and minister Priyank Kharge, MP and son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani and younger son Rahul Kharge.
He questioned how Kharge became an aerospace entrepreneur. He said, “How did the department give approval for this allotment? Did the chief minister force the minister (industries) to allot the land?”
Demand to dismiss Priyank Kharge from the cabinet
He urged the Governor to take cognizance of the gravity of the matter and sack Priyank Kharge from the Cabinet for snatching yet another opportunity from deserving SC entrepreneurs. He said, “This is a case of criminal betrayal of SC entrepreneurs by the Kharge family and I believe it is a violation of the oath taken as a minister in the Karnataka government.”
On the other hand, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya also on Sunday raised questions over the alleged allotment of KIADB land to a trust run by the Kharge family and asked when did they become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for the land. He also wanted to know whether the case involved abuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest.
Priyank Kharge denied the allegations
Reacting to Siroya’s statement, Priyank Kharge on Monday said the allotted site is not an industrial plot for industrial or commercial purposes but it is for educational purposes. He said the trust intends to set up a multi skill development centre in the CA site, asking if this is wrong. “There are no subsidies or concessional rates for civic amenity plots allotted to SC/ST organisations. The trustees have a background of setting up and managing good quality and affordable educational institutions,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, Priyank Kharge said the BJP lacks basic common sense that CA sites are not allotted or auctioned. They should be purchased as per KIADB and government guidelines. He said applications were invited for 193 sites and only 43 organisations applied. So the allegations of nepotism, influence peddling are baseless.
Questioning the previous BJP governments that allotted land to Prerana Trust, Chanakya University and Rashtrotthan, among others, he said, “Here we are buying CA sites, we have not asked for any subsidy or deferred payment or anything illegal. What is illegal in this, I don’t understand. Just by taking the name of the CM and Mallikarjun Kharge and complaining to the governor, you (BJP) are doing politics.”
The allocation was done as per the law: CM Siddaramaiah
When asked about the allegations regarding land allotment, CM Siddaramaiah said, “It has been done as per the law. Their trust is eligible, so we have done it. How did the BJP (while in power) allot land for Chanakya University? We have done it as per the law.”
This is not a public trust: Narayanaswamy
Speaking to reporters before meeting the governor, Narayanaswamy said, “It is clear that land has been given to prominent and influential people.” He alleged that Kharge was allotted the site while rejecting other applications. “This site has been allotted to prominent and influential people, and this has raised suspicion. Here the trust consists of family members, it is not a public trust. The trust is registered for ‘Buddha Vihar’ in Kalaburagi, it is a religious trust, but you (Kharge) have asked for it for R&D, that too in the Aerospace Park, what is the connection with this,” he said.
Calling it a clear case of nepotism, Narayanaswamy said, “This is a family trust and no minister can be a director in it (the trust). If he is in it, it is nepotism and it is clear that influence was used to get the land. So his (Priyank Kharge) resignation should be sought immediately. This is another MUDA (alleged scam in which Siddaramaiah is being accused).”
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)