War of words: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has put on hold land allotments sanctioned during the previous BJP regime, including 35.33 acres of government land reserved for pasture of animals to the RSS-linked Janaseva Trust.
The BJP on Friday (July 14) hit out at the Congress government describing the move as “politics of hate”.
The then BJP government in September last year allotted 35.33 acres of gomala at Kurubarahalli, Tavarekere, in Bengaluru South taluk to the Trust, which runs educational institutions at Channenahalli on Magadi Road.
In a written reply to BJP MLA ST Somashekar’s question in the Legislative Assembly regarding the government lands allotted to various organisations in the Bengaluru South taluk, State Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda cited Siddaramaiah’s note to state that the allotment of 35.33 acres to the Trust has been put on hold.
The Minister referred to a note issued by the Chief Minister on May 25, directing authorities to maintain "status quo", for not handing over the land to the Trust.
Government reviewing previous land allocations
According to the official sources, the government is said to be reviewing allotments made by the BJP regime in the months prior to the Assembly elections in May this year.
Senior BJP MLA and former Revenue Minister R Ashoka accused the Congress of stooping low by putting on hold the land granted to an organisation just because it is linked to RSS, and said that the Siddaramaiah government is engaging in politics of hate and that “they will face the consequences" in the coming days.
He further highlighted that the lands were given to numerous educational institutions and Maths during the BJP government and said, “They (Janaseva Trust), run educational institutions; just because they are linked to RSS, land allotment has been put on hold.”
State BJP vice president and MLA BY Vijayendra said the move shows the direction in which the Congress government is going.
"Janaseva Vidya Kendra is a just an organisation. I too have received education there. It comes under RSS. Thousands of poor students and children are getting educated there. Their alumni are in good positions in the society today," the son of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said.
(With PTI inputs)
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