Bangalore: The house of former CM and succor of backward castes – the late D Devaraj Urs in the metro will go oblivion soon.
The house christened as “Sri Shakti” located at Sadashiv Nagar, here is being demolished by the henchmen of rowdy Bettanagere Seena, and it was believed that an influential state minister is behind this.
The majestic house located on VIII main road, I cross is being ravaged by the earthmovers. There lies a story behind this house. The Maharaja of Mysore allotted a housing plot of over one
acre through CITB to Devaraj Urs during 1970. Its significant that Devaraj had not applied for any housing plots at all.
Devaraj had the aspiration to donate the abovementioned plot for public use, as he had properties on Margosa Road and Sampige Road, in Malleswaram, here. However, it was not realized. Its after his demise, the property was transferred to his wife Chikkamanni who built a bungalow there. Devaraj and Chikkamanni couple had no sons, and Chikkamanni left a will in their name of their daughter Chandraprabha Urs, M/s Gold Field, Leelamma Shivananjappa and Nagaratna, C/o M D Nataraj.
It was transferred to the name of M D Natarajs son in 2000. Prabha Mallikarjun, daughter in law of minister Shivashankarappa has bought the bungalow and the property for Rs 18.5 crore during August 2012. It was bought through GPA and the henchmen of rowdy Bettanagere Seena brokered the deal.
It does not end there. Meanwhile, RTI activist Laxminarayan filed public interest litigation on the same property. He wrote letters to PM that followed the chain of action to state chief secretary and BDA commissioner.
As the issue was more complicated, the officers of BDA and urban development forwarded a report consisting 50 pages to CM on May 20 2013.
CM Siddaramaiah did not take action on the issue, as his cabinet minister’s family has been involved in this controversy. As a result, the henchmen of rowdy Bettanagere Seena hired the laborers from Bihar and are busy demolishing Devaraj Urss Sri Shakti bungalow that is worth nearly Rs 200 crore, meant for public use is going to be private property.