Bengaluru: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit on Wednesday alleged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s role in denotifying 2.39 acres of land meant for park and public amenity and allowing a real estate project to come up on the land near Lalbagh in Bengaluru.
“Siddaramaiah has denotified 2.39 acres on survey numbers 27/1, 28.4, 28/5 and 28/6 that was originally earmarked for a park or other public use. This was done to favour a private developer named Ashok Dhariwal,” BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka told media persons here.
He also released documents to support his claim, including an Urban Development Department order dated November 18, 2014, allowing the land to be converted from its original purpose.
“The file seeking conversion of land use was rejected by our previous chief minister Jagadish Shettar,” Ashoka said. “The land in question is attached to Lalbagh and was meant to be a lung space. By denotifying it, Siddaramaiah has deprived Bengalureans of lung space. Now, a multi-crore realty project is coming up there,” Ashoka said.
The BJP has demanded cancellation of the denotification. “We will make sure this reaches its logical end,” Ashoka said.
In the past, the BJP has accused Siddaramaiah of denotifying 6.26 acres of land in Bengaluru’s Bhoopasandra. The CM also faces charges of denotifying large tracts of land meant for the Arkavathy Layout.
Siddaramaiah has strongly rejected all charges.
KPCC refutes allegations
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) vice president B L Shankar has refuted BJP leader R Ashoka’s allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has no role in this matter. The state government withdrew the change of land order (from public amenity and park to residential purpose) accorded on March 13, 2015 and the same was informed to the BDA on April 9, 2015,’’ Shankar said.
He said Akash Ranka has filed a complaint with Lokayukta and the latter ordered the BDA to file detailed report on that matter. The BDA has submitted a detailed report to Lokayuktha on March 28, 2016.
“Akash Ranka has filed a writ appeal in the High Court challenging the order of WP No. 17446-53/2015. The High Court has dismissed the WA on July 6, 2017. The appellant filed special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the orders of WA. So, the case in the court,’’ he said.
The KPCC vice president advised the BJP leader not to make allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the sake of making allegations. “I want Ashoka to come out with evidence to prove his allegations. He should desist politicizing everything with an eye on the forthcoming Assembly elections. It is to defame Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,’’ he said.
