31 govt. plots ‘illegally’ allocated at 5% of market value for Congress Bhavans in Karnataka: Chalavadi

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy has accused the Congress government of illegally sanctioning government land at throwaway prices in 31 locations to build Congress Bhavans.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Mr. Narayanaswamy alleged that five sites from the Revenue Department and 26 from local bodies had been sanctioned for the construction of Congress Bhavans.

Most of these lands were civic amenities (CA) sites that were not supposed to be allocated for the construction of political party offices, he alleged, and said that the State Cabinet had approved the allocation of such sites as the officials concerned had raised objection to their allotment, citing procedural issues.

While the allotment of these lands for political purposes itself was against the norms, the government had indulged in one more irregularity by allotting them at just 5% of their market value, he alleged.

Citing an example, he said a CA site measujring 4,404 square metres worth ₹4.08 crore in Chickballapur had been allocated at a mere ₹20.42 lakh. Similarly 613 square metres of government land worth ₹24.52 lakh in Badami had been sanctioned for just ₹1.22 lakh. In Mandya, land worth ₹1.45 crore had been sanctioned for ₹7.28 lakh, he alleged.

He urged the government authorities to take back the land allotted. Mr. Narayanaswamy said his party would take up a legal fight if the allotment was not withdrawn.

DCM defends allocation

Responding to the BJP leader’s allegation, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, also president of the KPCC, said the party was constructing 100 Congress Bhavans as part of the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s presidency of the Congress. “Yes, we are using government land for Congress Bhavans. We are allotting 5,000 to 10,000 sq. ft. plots,” he said.

He pointed out that during the BJP’s tenure, land had been allotted to various trusts in Bengaluru at concessional rates. “The land given to Chanakya University is worth ₹10 crore per acre, but it was allotted at ₹50 lakh per acre for 100 acres.”

He further asked, “If land was not allotted by the BJP government, how was the RSS office constructed?”