Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s family has come under controversy. BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya has raised questions over the alleged allotment of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land to a trust run by Kharge’s family. Siroya asked the Kharge family when did they become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for land? He also wanted to know whether this case is related to abuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest?
“A report has revealed that the trust (Siddhartha Vihar Trust) run by Mallikarjun Kharge’s family has been allotted 5 acres of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land (out of total 45.94 acres) for civic amenities under SC quota at Hi-Tech Defence Aerospace Park near Bengaluru,” Siroya said in the statement.
‘Kharge’s entire family is associated with the trust’
Rajya Sabha MP Siroya further said, interestingly, the trustees of the trust include Kharge himself, his wife Radhabai Kharge, his son-in-law and Gulbarga MP Radhakrishna Doddamani, son and minister in the Karnataka government Priyank Kharge and another son Rahul Kharge. He asked, is this a case of abuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest? He questioned how Industry Minister MB Patil agreed to this allocation in March 2024?
‘When did the Kharge family become eligible for land allotment?’
Siroya asked, when did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for KIADB land? The matter of this alleged illegal allotment has also reached the Raj Bhavan through an RTI activist. He wanted to know whether the Kharge family will eventually have to give up this land? Like Siddaramaiah (Chief Minister) has to give up the controversial MUDA plots in Mysuru. Will this allotment be investigated?
The minister said – no rule has been violated
At the same time, Karnataka Industry Minister MB Patil has confirmed the allotment of the site to Siddharth Vihar Trust. He said that no rules have been violated. The site has been given at the prescribed price and without any discount. In a statement on Monday, Patil said, Siddharth Vihar Trust, headed by Rahul Kharge, son of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, has been allotted a CA (civic amenities) plot in Aerospace Park at the prescribed price as per the norms of KIADB. No rules were violated in the allotment process. The allotment was done at the prescribed price and no discount has been given.
The Industry Minister said that Rahul Kharge is an IIT graduate and he wanted to set up a Research and Development Centre (R&D) on the allotted land. Under KIADB norms, CA plots can be used to set up research and development centres, centres of excellence, technical institutes, skill development centres, government offices, banks, hospitals, hotels, petrol stations, canteens and residential facilities. He said that this allotment is done on the recommendations of the State Level Single Window Committee.
Priyank Kharge said- The trust did not get any subsidy or exemption
Priyank Kharge has put forth his side on this controversy. He took a dig at Lahar Singh Siroya and said, little knowledge is dangerous. First of all, I would like to tell you that the allotted site is not an industrial plot meant for industrial or commercial purposes. It is for educational purposes. The trust intends to set up a multi skill development centre at the CA site. Is this wrong? KIADB has not given any subsidy to the trust for the CA site or reduced the cost of the site or provided any relaxation in payment terms. There is no subsidy or concessional rates for civic facility plots allotted to SC/ST organisations.
‘Don’t worry about trust’
Priyank further said, the trustees have a background in setting up and managing good quality and affordable educational institutions. By the way, the chairman of the trust has worked extensively at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science for many years. So, don’t worry about his understanding of science. Can’t our trusts set up centres that can make our youth more employable? How can you single us out with the malicious intent to defame us even after following due process? Would you like to know how your government gave land across the state to RSS-backed Rashtrotthan and Chanakya Universities? Then why were you tongue-tied? Please do something meaningful for the state instead of misleading people or making unnecessary allegations to keep yourself politically relevant.
Siddaramaiah’s wife got a plot in exchange for land, know the whole matter
Earlier, a controversy had arisen over the allotment of a plot in lieu of land to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s wife. This entire dispute is related to three acres of land. Actually, Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvati had 3 acres and 16 guntas of land in Kesare village in Mysore district. This land was gifted to her by Parvati’s brother Mallikarjuna. This land was acquired by MUDA for development and in lieu of this land, Parvati was given a total of 38,283 square feet of plots in Vijayanagar area in 2021. These plots are in a prime area of South Mysore. It is alleged that the market value of the Vijayanagar plot is much higher than her original land in Kesare, due to which the BJP has alleged a scam. Parvati was allotted this land during the previous BJP regime. However, Siddaramaiah claimed that the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) had illegally acquired the land from her (wife). Siddaramaiah said that his wife was entitled to compensation, so she has been given land in another place in exchange for the land. If BJP feels that the land given to us is more expensive, then that land should be taken back and we should be given our rights.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)