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The recent land allotment to a trust run by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's family has ignited a new controversy in Karnataka, further escalating tensions between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. The BJP has accused the Siddhartha Vihar Trust of receiving a five-acre land parcel under the Scheduled Caste quota in the Hi-tech Defence Aerospace Park near Bengaluru, bypassing other applications. This incident follows a previous controversy involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, raising concerns about nepotism and misuse of power within the Congress party.
The BJP has demanded the resignations of Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, along with a CBI probe into the matter. The opposition party alleges that the allotment was a case of criminal breach of trust by the Kharge family towards fellow Scheduled Caste entrepreneurs. They have further questioned the transparency and fairness of the process, suggesting that the department may have been compelled to allot the land due to political pressure.
In response, the Karnataka government has defended the allotment, stating that it was conducted according to the law and that the trust was eligible for the land under the legal provisions. Siddaramaiah emphasized that the allotment was made in accordance with the law and pointed out that the BJP, while in power, had allotted land to Chanakya University. Priyank Kharge clarified that the plot was intended for educational purposes, specifically the establishment of a multi-skill development centre. He highlighted that the trust has a history of establishing affordable and high-quality educational institutions.
Karnataka's Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil also supported the allotment, stating that it was done at a prescribed price and that the trust purchased the CA plot for setting up an R&D centre. He explained that under KIADB norms, CA plots can be used for various purposes, including educational institutions, and that the allotment process involved a state-level Single Window Committee.
Priyank Kharge refuted the BJP's allegations, stating that the trust had not sought any subsidies or illegal benefits and questioned the BJP's political motivations in raising the issue. He criticized the BJP's actions as a political ploy, emphasizing that the trust followed all legal procedures and that there was nothing illegal about the land allotment.
This latest controversy adds to the ongoing political turmoil in Karnataka. The MUDA case, involving land allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife, has further strained relations between the Congress and the opposition. The BJP has requested an investigation into the chief minister, alleging that the land value was grossly inflated. Siddaramaiah, however, has challenged the governor's order requesting an investigation and is seeking relief from the Karnataka High Court.
The ongoing controversies surrounding land allotments and the accusations of nepotism are likely to fuel further political tensions in Karnataka. The BJP is using these issues to target the Congress government, while the Congress is defending its actions and blaming the BJP for past land allotments. The upcoming hearings in the Karnataka High Court will be crucial in determining the future course of these controversies and the political landscape in the state.
Source: BJP Alleges "Nepotism" As Another Land Row Hits Congress In Karnataka