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A political storm is brewing in Karnataka over allegations of illegal land allotment to the family of Congress chief Mallikarjuna Kharge. The state's Governor, Thaawar Chand Gehlot, has sought clarification from the Chief Secretary, Shalini Rajneesh, on a complaint filed by the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. The complaint accuses the Siddaramaiah government of illegally allotting land to Kharge's family members through the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).
Narayanaswamy, representing the BJP, alleges that the Kharge family has unfairly benefited from a five-acre land allotment at the Aerospace Park in Bengaluru, meant for Dalit communities. He claims that the KIADB collected funds from 72 Dalit organizations but allocated the land to the Kharge family, disregarding other deserving beneficiaries. Narayanaswamy also criticizes the government's hasty approval of the land allotment within just 20 days, accusing them of flouting rules and prioritizing the Kharge family's interests over the needs of the Dalit community.
Narayanaswamy further highlights irregularities in the land allocation process. He alleges that commercial plots were allocated without a public auction, despite the land's potential to fetch a significantly higher price through an auction process. This, he argues, indicates a deliberate attempt to benefit the Kharge family at the expense of the state's revenue. He questions the rationale behind the expedited land allotment just before parliamentary elections, suggesting a political motive behind the move.
The Kharge family has vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them as a BJP and RSS conspiracy aimed at fomenting communalism and creating conflict within the Dalit community. Priyanka Kharge, the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Information Technology and Biotechnology, criticizes the Governor's decision to seek a report, accusing him of having a double standard in his approach towards the Congress and BJP. She further points out the silence of BJP leaders on the matter, highlighting their selective outrage.
The BJP, however, remains vocal in its criticism of the Kharge family, accusing them of exploiting the Dalit community for personal gain. They maintain that the land allotment was an injustice to Dalits and that the Kharge family has been engaging in political opportunism by playing on the sentiments of the community. The land allocation issue has further escalated the political tension in Karnataka, with both the Congress and BJP resorting to strong rhetoric and accusations. The Governor's intervention and the subsequent investigation promise to shed light on the intricacies of the land allotment process and potentially expose any irregularities involved.
Source: Guv seeks clarification on site allotment to Kharge family trust