<p>Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Saturday said the controversial amendments to the Land Reforms Act were originally the idea of Congress.</p>.<p>"This was first discussed in a Cabinet sub-committee in 2014 that recommended repealing Sections 79 (a) and (b), claiming that they were only making way for corruption. They had pointed out that despite restrictions on landholding, people were converting lands through illegal means and purchasing the same. Today, they are blaming BJP," Ashoka said in the Assembly, where high drama prevailed during the discussion of the Bill.</p>.<p>Further, pulling out old Assembly records, Ashoka said some senior Congress leaders who are today terming the amendment "anti-farmer," had then spoken about the futility of some of the provisions of the Act.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy added to the debate by narrating his own experience on how Sections 79 (a) and (b) of the Act were indeed being misused for vested interests.</p>.<p>"In my own case, I had purchased a piece of land in Ramanagara in 1983. Even though the revenue official who cleared the process said the purchase was lawful, someone filed a politically-motivated complaint against me, claiming that I had purchased the land in violation of these sections. A complaint was also filed in Lokayukta, which was cleared later. However, in the end, the revenue office concerned had lost documents pertaining to my land," he said.</p>.<p><strong>Cong MLAs tear paper</strong></p>.<p>Demanding that the government withdraw the Karnataka Land Reforms Act (Amendment) Bill 2020, Congress leaders tore up papers in a symbolic rejection of the Bill and staged a walkout from the Legislative Assembly.</p>
<p>Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Saturday said the controversial amendments to the Land Reforms Act were originally the idea of Congress.</p>.<p>"This was first discussed in a Cabinet sub-committee in 2014 that recommended repealing Sections 79 (a) and (b), claiming that they were only making way for corruption. They had pointed out that despite restrictions on landholding, people were converting lands through illegal means and purchasing the same. Today, they are blaming BJP," Ashoka said in the Assembly, where high drama prevailed during the discussion of the Bill.</p>.<p>Further, pulling out old Assembly records, Ashoka said some senior Congress leaders who are today terming the amendment "anti-farmer," had then spoken about the futility of some of the provisions of the Act.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy added to the debate by narrating his own experience on how Sections 79 (a) and (b) of the Act were indeed being misused for vested interests.</p>.<p>"In my own case, I had purchased a piece of land in Ramanagara in 1983. Even though the revenue official who cleared the process said the purchase was lawful, someone filed a politically-motivated complaint against me, claiming that I had purchased the land in violation of these sections. A complaint was also filed in Lokayukta, which was cleared later. However, in the end, the revenue office concerned had lost documents pertaining to my land," he said.</p>.<p><strong>Cong MLAs tear paper</strong></p>.<p>Demanding that the government withdraw the Karnataka Land Reforms Act (Amendment) Bill 2020, Congress leaders tore up papers in a symbolic rejection of the Bill and staged a walkout from the Legislative Assembly.</p>
