Govt to review land grants since December, says Krishna Byre Gowda

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the previous BJP government had allocated 'hundreds of acres of government land' to the RSS and affiliated organisations

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Friday said that the state government has decided to review lands granted to individuals, organisations and associations in the last six months to see if it was done in a 'hasty' manner.

Speaking to reporters, Gowda said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed for a review of all land grants done since December 2022.

"The previous government rammed through the Cabinet various such decisions. Whether its benefiting legitimate organisations, whether the society benefits from such land grants or whether these grants benefit the public at large, is our major concern. With these criteria, we will look at the decisions made by the previous administration in the last couple of months," Gowda said.

The minister maintained that if the land grants are genuine, if organisations are genuine and if it is serving people's interests and serving society well, then the government will surely honour such decisions. "We will reconsider it only if they are not genuine," Gowda asserted and stressed that the state government will not go after any particular origination or target any particular religion- or caste-based organisation.

Gowda said several Congress members, including himself, had raised doubts over land grants given by the state government. "We cannot re-examine all land grants given by the previous government as it will hamper our work. That itself will become our job whereas people expect progress from us," he said.

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao that said the previous BJP government had allocated 'hundreds of acres of government land' to the RSS and affiliated organisations, calling for a review.

Rao said that the purpose behind such allotment was to help these organisations grow and with that its ideology should also grow. "This (allotment of land) should not happen. One should inform the people about everything. Nothing should be kept secret. People should know," he asserted and added that the state government will have to take steps.

He argued that the state government will have to see whether it has been done lawfully and for what price it has been allotted.

The Congress government's review is likely to cover the grant of 10 acres for Rashtrotthana at Devagiri (Haveri), seven acres for Rashtrotthana Parishat at Hiremagalur, seven acres for the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association at Thimmasandra village near Yelahanka, among others.