'After Moda, another knock-off': BJP-level 'land scam' accused Kharge family, Congress hits back

Two days after BJP leader Lehar Singh Siroya questioned the alleged allotment of land under the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board to a trust run by Congress president Mallikarjan Kharge's family, the saffron party raised seven questions on it. He has raised the question of what he called the “Kharge land scam”.

After the MUDA scam another land scam in Karnataka where the Siddharamya (Siddaramaya) family now has to answer to the Kharge family? A news report supported by documents revealed that 05 acres of land (out of total 45.94 acres) of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) was allotted to a trust (Siddhartha Vihar Trust) managed by the family of Mr. Mallikarjan Kharge. has been done For urban facilities under SC Quota. The allotted 5 acres of land is in the Hi-Tech Defense Aerospace Park near Bangalore. The trustees include Mr. Kharge himself, his wife, Mrs. Radhabai Kharge, his son-in-law and Gulbarga MP, Mr. Radhakrishna, another son and minister in the Karnataka government, Mr. Priyank Kharge, and another son, Mr. Rahul Kharge. BJP National Spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla said in a post on X.

However, the Congress-led government in Karnataka denied the allegations and said that the land allotted to Kharge's son Rahul Kharge was in accordance with the rules. State minister MB Patil criticized Siroya for making such claims and said that Rahul Kharge had applied for a research and development center at the location.

In his posts on social media on August 25, Siroya questioned how the Kharge family became aerospace entrepreneurs to qualify for the land, which was meant for civilian facilities at the Hi-Tech Defense Aerospace Park near Bengaluru. Now, the BJP is saying it's another “land scam” in Karnataka after the MUDA scam allegedly involves Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his family.

Here are the seven questions posed by the BJP in Poonawalla's lengthy social media post.

1. Is it related to abuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest?
2. How did the Industries Minister agree to this allocation in March 2024?
3. When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to qualify for KIADB land?
4. Isn't it unfair to common SC traders and youth? Shouldn't they have benefited?
5. After the MUDA scam, another knockback? Isn't it about abuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest?
6. Will Rahul Gandhi, himself an accused in the NH (National Highway) scam, say a word on this? Or will he remain silent on the MUDA scam, Valmiki scam and other scams?
7. Is this all revealed by a faction of the Congress because Siddaramaiah was facing heat over the MUDA scam – so have they exposed Kharge too?

Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya further drew attention to the news, alleging that Kharge and his family were “mysteries” in the land scam in Karnataka. He raised the same questions as Poonawalla and said the case was about “abuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest”.

“After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, now Congress president Mallikarjan Kharge and family are embroiled in a land scam in Karnataka…” he wrote in a post on X.

“How did Industries Minister Mr MB Patil agree to this allocation in March 2024? When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to qualify for KIADB land? The matter of this alleged illegal allotment has also reached the office of the Hon'ble Governor (Governor) through an RTI activist,” he said, reposting Siroya's views on the matter.

Malaviya sought an answer from Kharge and asked if he would eventually release the land as Siddaramaiah had done in the MUDA case, and further sought to know if the allocation would be scrutinised.

'Rahul Kharge's trust allotted plots as per rules'

Patil clarified on Monday (August 26) that the education trust run by Rahul Kharge was allotted a civil amenity (CA) plot in the Aerospace Park at a fixed price, as per norms. In a statement, he rejected the allegations leveled by Servia and insisted that no rules were violated in the process.

“Rahul Kharge is an IIT graduate who has expressed his intention to set up a research and development (R&D) center on the allotted land. His family has a longstanding involvement in various academic activities. Under KIADB norms, CA plots are allocated for R&D. “Can be used for setting up centres, centers of excellence, technical institutes, skill development centres, government offices, banks, hospitals, hotels, petrol stations, canteens and residential facilities.”

He explained that any interested and eligible person can apply for CA plot and the allotments will be made after the recommendations of the state level single window committee. He said that Rahul Kharge has not been allotted an industrial plot in the aerospace park but a CA plot for setting up an R&D center at a fixed price, with no concessions.

The minister further emphasized that since he assumed office, a more transparent system has been implemented where CA plots are allotted only after the approval of the state level single window committee. “Also, for the first time, we have introduced 24.10 per cent reservation for Scheduled Castes in allotment of CA plots,” he added.

He also criticized the opposition parties and said that when the BJP was in power, it had allotted 116 acres of land to Chanakya University in an industrial area for a mere Rs 50 crore, resulting in a loss of Rs 137 crore to the exchequer. The damage was done.

(with PTI input)