It is an interesting battle playing out in Karnataka between the ruling Congress and the opposition (BJP and JD -Secular) with the saffron party leveling gold smuggling accusations against the ruling party and the Karnataka government stepping up action against BJP and JD (S) leaders on previous corruption charges.
While the opposition BJP has begun using the Starlet Smuggling Saga involving actress Ranya Rao to target the Congress with insinuations of the involvement of “two Congress ministers” in the gold smuggling activities, the ruling Congress has activated cases involving former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his government on the 40 per cent commission, with the probe committee coming out with its report, submitted to the government, and the state revenue department initiating reclamation proceedings against former Chief Minister and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy in the alleged land encroachment case.
Yesterday the revenue department served notices against the Union Minister in an old case pertaining to alleged encroachment on lands in Ramanagaram.
Kumaraswamy on Tuesday flatly denied any wrongdoing in the case and said that he had bought the lands some 40 years ago, that there were investigations into it several times in the past, and that he had never done any illegal activity, in the past or the present.
Kumaraswamy asserted that it was a political vendetta that was being carried out against him by the Congress government by levelling encroachment charges and vowed that he would fight out the issue legally. He also denied that he had received any notices from the revenue department on the reclamation action and said that “if he was being harassed like this by the government, imagine what would be the fate of the common man.”
The revenue department officials have begun surveying the said disputed land at Kethaganahalli in Ramanagara district. “I have served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka twice. I have never encroached on land, nor have I engaged in any illegal activities. This land I purchased 40 years ago. Even if the government wants to evict an ordinary citizen, a notice must be issued at least 15 days in advance as per the law. However, I have not received any notice or official communication till now,” Kumaraswamy said before departing for Delhi on Tuesday.
In a stinging retort, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar questioned as to if he (Kumaraswamy) had done nothing illegal, then why is he fearing an investigation. Kumaraswamy is accused of encroaching on government land in Bidadi and Ketaganahalli, areas within Ramanagaram district.
On Tuesday, notices were issued to the Union Minister as part of operations to reclaim the alleged encroached land. “If Kumaraswamy or any of his family members have not encroached on government land, he need not worry about it,” Shivakumar said.
Now the Congress leaders’ statements and the government action indicate the ruling party’s aggressive stance against the JD (S) leader. The state deputy CM also challenged Kumaraswamy’s attitude and said that his reluctance to face scrutiny undermines his claims of innocence.
Kumaraswamy has accused the Congress government of vendetta politics, claiming the notices are an attempt to tarnish his image.
The state government asserts this action is part of a larger effort to reclaim public land, with officials actively clearing encroachments in Ramanagaram.
Dismissing allegations of vendetta politics, Shivakumar told mediapersons in Delhi that Kumaraswamy had nothing to worry if he was not involved in any enrichment.
“If Kumaraswamy says he hasn’t encroached anything or stolen anything, then he has not. There would be documents for everything. Why should he get worried? What has this got to do with Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy?” Shivakumar questioned.
The action follows court orders, after someone filed a PIL and the courts have rebuked officials for not taking any action. Now the officials have surveyed the land in view of the court orders, the deputy chief minister said.
“He (Kumaraswamy) has made many accusations against me too. He had cast aspersions that I had stolen granite. He got my wife, sister, and brother investigated. He keeps accusing the Congress party. If he has not done anything wrong, he will have his land. Else, he will lose it,” Shivakumar said.