The Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed a new land scam in Karnataka. BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya raised the issue in a post on X. He wondered, “When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs, making them eligible for KIADB land? Is it due to abuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest?” Heavy and Medium Industries Minister in the state government MB Patil on Monday rejected these allegations. He said that the educational trust run by Rahul Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, was allotted a fixed plot in the Aerospace Park at a fixed price as per the rules. He insisted that no rules were violated in the process.
MB Patil said, “Rahul Kharge is a graduate from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) who has expressed his intention to set up a research and development centre on the allotted land. His family has a long-standing involvement in various educational activities.” The minister said that under the norms of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), CA plots can be used to set up R&D centres, centres of excellence, technical institutes, skill development centres, government offices, banks, hospitals, hotels, petrol pumps, canteens and residential facilities.
What is the logic of Congress on this?
The minister in the state government said that any interested and eligible person can apply for it. The allotment will be done after the recommendations of the state level ‘Single Window Committee’. He clarified that Rahul Kharge has not been allotted any industrial plot in the Aerospace Park, but a plot determined under CA to set up a research and development center at a fixed price. He has not been given any exemption. Allegedly, land reserved under SC quota for civic amenities was allotted to Siddharth Vihar Trust of Kharge family. Regarding this, BJP leader Siroya alleged that this allotment is illegal and indicative of political favoritism.