BENGALURU: Senior Ministers in the Siddaramaiah cabinet on Wednesday accused Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and senior BJP leader R Ashoka of illegally purchasing Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) land and returning it after a case was filed with the Lokayukta.
Hitting out at the BJP leaders for terming Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife’s decision to return the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites as an admission of guilt, the ministers asked if Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra would seek resignation from Ashoka, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, and BJP MP and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar for their alleged involvement in the illegal land deal.
Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said Ashoka had returned the land after a case was filed.
Dr Parameshwara was addressing a joint press conference with ministers HK Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, and Krishna Byre Gowda.
Dr Parameshwara said the BDA had notified 32 guntas of land in Lottegollahalli and a final notification was issued in 1978. However, in 2003 and 2007, Ashoka purchased the land that was in the BDA possession, from family members of its earlier owners by an absolute sale deed, he said.
In 2009, based on an application from one Ramaswamy, it was denotified by then CM BS Yediyurappa, the Home Minister said. After a retired Wing Commander had filed a petition in the Lokayukta court, Ashoka returned it to BDA on August 27, 2011, through a registered gift, he said.
In the gift deed, Ashoka had claimed that it he was a true and lawful owner. However, when the issue went to the High Court, the court stated that the land in question was secured with the BDA, and no purpose would be served by continuing with the petition any further.
“He had committed irregularities at every step. Now, they are asking for CM’s resignation and the ED is also used. Let Ashoka resign and ask for the CM’s resignation,” Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said. He termed the ED as “BJP’s witch-hunting dogs.”