BENGALURU: In a shocking incident, 73 ex-servicemen who were handed over the keys to their flats under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited at Kodathi were left homeless after the Corporation allegedly changed the locks without their knowledge. When repeated pleas to the Chief Office, other politicians and officials went unanswered, over 350 veterans and their families from across Karnataka staged a dharna on Monday and forced the corporation to hand over the new keys to some of them.
The protest was staged in front of Anand Rao Circle with ex-servicemen from Kolar, Mandya, Tumakuru, Bagalkot, Chitradurga and Belagavi taking part. By evening, the Chief Minister’s Office intervened and ordered the corporation to hand over the new set of keys to the owners.
Col (retd) S S Rajan, Convener, Military Veterans, said, “The issue dates back to 2010 when 173 ex-servicemen were allotted two BHK flats for Rs 9,89,872 in Kodathi panchayat. By 2019, all the veterans had paid the amount and the keys were handed over to 73 of them and a former BSF constable by March 2020.”Nagaraja, a veteran, said, “On June 3, those who were allotted flats went there to perform a joint Ganesh Puja.”
‘Rally against MD’s behaviour’
“The local villagers protested. Three days later all the locks in our houses were replaced. During the dharna on Monday, we got a call from the CM’s office and five of our representatives met B S Yediyurappa, who said that 52 veterans would be given the new keys on Monday and the rest shortly,” Nagaraja, the veteran, added.Col Rajan said, “Our rally was held to protest against the illegal, objectionable and high-handed behaviour of the MD of Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation.”
Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali on Monday evening handed over the new keys to the veterans.