BENGALURU: The Opposition BJP on Wednesday opened a new front in its attack against the state government’s move to appoint former Congress MLC V R Sudarshan as KPSC chairman.
Opposition Leader in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar has accused Sudarshan of encroaching 10 guntas of government land at Vemgal in Kolar and building a commercial complex on it.
Shettar said the 10 guntas form part of a piece of government non-agricultural kharab land of two acres and six guntas, bearing survey number 214/1, according to revenue documents.
Shettar accused Sudarshan of using his political clout and creating false documents for the property. “A complaint in this regard has been lodged with the Kolar DC and the Lokayukta by one V Lokesh,” he said.
Shettar, who released documents to prove his allegation, said, “Nobody knows how the ownership of the land was passed on to Sudarshan. So far, no official has conducted a survey of the site even after the complaint.”
In the evening, a BJP delegation led by Shettar met the Governor and submitted a memorandum with details of the complaint against Sudarshan. They urged the Governor to reject Sudarshan’s nomination for the post of KPSC chairman.
The BJP, JD(S) and social activist T J Abraham had petitioned the governor not to consider Sudarshan’s name for the post, citing his political affiliation with the Congress till recently.
Sudarshan Refutes Charge
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference to counter Shettar’s allegation, Sudarshan clarified that the property at Vemgal has been in revenue records since 1970-71 as non-agricultural kharab land. “The revenue records of over 40 years show my father V S Ramasetty as the khatedar. After the demise of my father, my name has been registered as khatedar,” he said. He said he is ready to give an explanation to the Governor if he is summoned. He even expressed readiness to opt out of the contention for the post if the controversy is proving to be an embarrassment to the Siddaramaiah government.
Abraham Complains
Meanwhile, social activist T J Abraham has urged the Lokayukta to reject the vigilance report that is said to have been filed in favour of IGP Syed Ulfat Hussain, Prof Govindaiah and Dr Ravikumar by Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee for vetting by the Lokayukta.
In his complaint, Abraham has said the vigilance clearance certificate submitted by the chief secretary is prima facie ‘bogus’. He has demanded an investigation into this and prosecution against Mukherjee.
IGP Gets Posting
IGP Syed Ulfat Hussain was posted as IGP (Training) in Bengaluru on Wednesday amid controversy over the government’s move to nominate him as a member of KPSC.