Bengaluru, the opposition BJP in Karnataka on Tuesday alleged that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) had "illegally" allotted an alternative plot of land in a posh area to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi against the "acquisition" of about four acres of his property.
The Chief Minister rejected the allegation saying that his wife was entitled to an alternative land under the "50:50 ratio" scheme, introduced by the previous BJP government, after the MUDA formed a territory on her land without even acquire it.
Under the plan, the land loser gets a quarter-acre of developed land in exchange for acquiring one acre of undeveloped land.
Siddaramaiah, a native of Mysuru. He also claimed that his wife was given alternative land during the previous BJP government and not during his tenure as Chief Minister.
In a post on 'X', Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka wanted to know how Siddaramaiah will justify the "illegal land transfer".
He also alleged that when the matter came to light, the officers involved were transferred, rather than suspended.
Ashoka said the Central Bureau of Investigation or a retired high court judge should have investigated the matter, but the government assigned two IAS officers to investigate it "just to cover up the scam".
“Who gave permission for the allocation of land in a 50:50 ratio? Who recommended the allocation of land in luxurious areas? Who gave permission for the land swap in the posh area without cabinet approval? —asked the BJP leader.
Siddaramaiah said his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna bought three acres and 36 guntas of land in 1996 and gifted it to his sister, who is Siddaramaiah's wife. (an acre is 40 guntas).
It was the BJP government that introduced the 50:50 ratio scheme, he said.
“MUDA did not acquire three acres and 36 guntas of land, but created plots and sold them. It is not that my wife's property was acquired but that land was made and sold. I don’t know if MUDA did it knowingly or unknowingly,” the Chief Minister explained.
He added that after MUDA built plots on his wife's land and sold it, she was deprived of her property.
“Should we lose our property? Shouldn't MUDA give us our land legally? When we asked MUDA about it, they said they would give us land in 50:50 ratio. We accept it. Then MUDA gave us equal measurements of sites in different places. What's wrong with that?" Siddaramaiah asked.
Meanwhile, following a report in a vernacular daily about an alleged large-scale scam related to allotment of alternative sites (plots) by MUDA, the Karnataka government has ordered a probe by a panel headed by the Commissioner of Authorities Urbanas Venkatachalapathy R.
The members of the panel are Additional Director of Town and Country Planning Shashi Kumar M C, Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning Shanthala and Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning Prakash.
The panel has been asked to submit its report within 15 days, official sources said.
The Chief Minister rejected the allegation saying that his wife was entitled to an alternative land under the "50:50 ratio" scheme, introduced by the previous BJP government, after the MUDA formed a territory on her land without even acquire it.
Under the plan, the land loser gets a quarter-acre of developed land in exchange for acquiring one acre of undeveloped land.
Siddaramaiah, a native of Mysuru. He also claimed that his wife was given alternative land during the previous BJP government and not during his tenure as Chief Minister.
In a post on 'X', Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka wanted to know how Siddaramaiah will justify the "illegal land transfer".
He also alleged that when the matter came to light, the officers involved were transferred, rather than suspended.
Ashoka said the Central Bureau of Investigation or a retired high court judge should have investigated the matter, but the government assigned two IAS officers to investigate it "just to cover up the scam".
“Who gave permission for the allocation of land in a 50:50 ratio? Who recommended the allocation of land in luxurious areas? Who gave permission for the land swap in the posh area without cabinet approval? —asked the BJP leader.
Siddaramaiah said his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna bought three acres and 36 guntas of land in 1996 and gifted it to his sister, who is Siddaramaiah's wife. (an acre is 40 guntas).
It was the BJP government that introduced the 50:50 ratio scheme, he said.
“MUDA did not acquire three acres and 36 guntas of land, but created plots and sold them. It is not that my wife's property was acquired but that land was made and sold. I don’t know if MUDA did it knowingly or unknowingly,” the Chief Minister explained.
He added that after MUDA built plots on his wife's land and sold it, she was deprived of her property.
“Should we lose our property? Shouldn't MUDA give us our land legally? When we asked MUDA about it, they said they would give us land in 50:50 ratio. We accept it. Then MUDA gave us equal measurements of sites in different places. What's wrong with that?" Siddaramaiah asked.
Meanwhile, following a report in a vernacular daily about an alleged large-scale scam related to allotment of alternative sites (plots) by MUDA, the Karnataka government has ordered a probe by a panel headed by the Commissioner of Authorities Urbanas Venkatachalapathy R.
The members of the panel are Additional Director of Town and Country Planning Shashi Kumar M C, Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning Shanthala and Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning Prakash.
The panel has been asked to submit its report within 15 days, official sources said.
