AAP accuses BJP leaders of aiding encroachment of Bengaluru's Junnasandra lake

Bengaluru: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday accused three prominent BJP leaders for aiding the encroachment of the Junnasandra lake in Mahadevapura.

The AAP accused former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, former revenue minister R Ashok and former Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali of forging documents concerning the lake, spread over 24.33 acres and valued over Rs 1,000 crore.

AAP secretary Mohan Dasari told a press conference on Monday that all records, including the village map and pahani (RTC) of survey number 32, situated in Junnasandra village, show it to be a lake.

"In 1930, the then Maharaja of Mysore had entered into an agreement with Jodidar Akkamma for the maintenance of the Junnasandra lake. When the Land Reforms Act was enacted in 1967, effecting the rule of 'tiller is the owner', Akkamma's family members got the custody of the lakeland by submitting fake documents," he alleged.

On December 21, 2023, the Karnataka High Court upheld the 1930 agreement and ruled in favour of private individuals. Dasari, however, pointed out while submitting documents in the court, there is no mention of the lake yard.

"The court order, too, does not say the lake land belongs to Akkamma's descendants," he said, adding that the court was misled by false documents. Accusing Limbavali and Ashoka of aiding the encroachers, Dasari said they stopped AAP volunteers from protesting at the lake in 2021.

AAP leader Ashok Mruthyunjaya said a complaint regarding the encroachment has been launched with the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF). The complaint has been lodged with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. “But no action has been taken so far,” he said.

Mruthyunjaya also suggested that the government should contest the high court order in the larger bench.

The 24.33-acre Junnasandra lake has been left to die with the blockage of water from all sides. Last year, officials in the BBMP had stopped the construction of a house inside the lake, citing the waterbody was public property.

A survey conducted by the revenue department following an order by the legislature committee had also found that the Junnasandra land is in fact a lake.