Anti-corruption crusader S R Hiremath on Saturday alleged that Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and his family had encroached upon 10 acres and 9 guntas of government land worth `120 crore in Jala hobli.
He asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to reclaim the land and initiate criminal proceedings against them, besides directing the minister to resign.
Addressing reporters here, Hiremath said, “Dinesh Gundu Rao and his family members have encroached upon 10 acres and 9 guntas of land worth `120 crore in Navarathna Agrahara village of Jala hobli. The inam land had been reclaimed by the government. The tahsildar had issued two notices to Dinesh and his brothers Mahesh and Rajesh and one to his mother Varalakshmi Gundu Rao asking them to evict the property.”
He said though three years have elapsed since, nothing has happened till now and accused successive governments of protecting them.
When asked, Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “We bought some 45 acres of agricultural land in 1983 and have not altered its boundaries since the possession was handed over to us. After the tahsildar sent us a notice, we wrote back requesting him to survey the land and reclaim whatever belongs to the government after demarcating the boundaries. We have not done anything illegal.”
Hiremath also said he will engage the services of Supreme Court senior advocate Prashant Bhushan to get the stay vacated on the High Court’s order to take necessary action against former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda and BJP MLA D N Jeevaraj. The two have been accused of violating the terms of the grant by constructing a five-storeyed commercial complex on G-category sites that were granted to them.
Hiremath said, “They got the sites allotted in their names to live there. But, they have jointly constructed a five-storeyed commercial complex. High Court Judge D V Shylendra Kumar had directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to take suitable action against both of them for violating the norms but they got a stay from the Supreme Court against the order.”
Hiremath also said he plans to expedite the legal process against former deputy chief minister R Ashok and others for various irregularities.
‘Have Done Nothing to be INSECURE’
Hiremath urged people to question tainted politicians when they seek votes. When asked about Power Minister D K Shivakumar urging the Chief Minister to provide security to him, Hiremath said, “What have I done to be insecure? I have not appropriated government money.”