No Illegalities In Land Purchased About 40 Years Ago: Union Minister Kumaraswamy

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy asserted that there are no illegalities in the land he purchased about forty years ago.

Bengaluru:With revenue department officials conducting a survey of land belonging to him in Ramanagara district, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday asserted that there are no illegalities in the land he purchased about forty years ago. The JD(S) leader, claiming that he was being targeted, also hit out at the ruling Congress government in the state and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

"I purchased the land 40 years ago. For forty years, surveys and investigations have been done a number of times. I have been open to it....there were no complainants for forty years. How have they emerged all of a sudden now?," Kumaraswamy asked.

Speaking to reporters here, he pointed out that in 1986-87 itself, Congress leader C M Lingappa and Ramachandra, a zilla panchayat member, had submitted a petition to the then Chief Minister, Prime Minister and Home Minister and others, alleging that the land was purchased illegally.

"I have all the documents. This government and those claiming to protect the state resources (activists) have gone against me. So far I have not got any notice from the High Court. On getting to know that officials were coming for a survey of the land owned by me without even serving a notice, I questioned the Principal Secretary and Deputy Commissioner, then they subsequently served notice. I allowed the survey. I even told them they can get the survey by any international agency," he said.

Asserting that there were no illegalities in the land he had purchased, the union minister, attacking the Congress, said he has documentary evidence about who has indulged in what kind of illegalities, and how the government lands have been illegally acquired by others. "But in today's system, the logical end cannot be reached," he added.

Revenue department officials on Monday conducted a survey of Kumaraswamy's farm land at Kethaganahalli in Bidadi hobli of Ramanagara district. Social activists had alleged that 14 acres of government land had been encroached by Kumaraswamy. The High Court had directed the revenue department to submit a report.

The government had formed a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate allegations of land encroachment by Kumaraswamy. Asked about whether he is being targeted, Kumarswamy said, there is no doubt about it.

"How many times will investigations be done? In March 2023, a report was submitted to the Lokayukta......they have come and done a survey. Let them submit a report. I'm not worried. A land that was purchased forty years ago, for that all this is going on. I know CM Siddaramaiah has done many rounds of meetings for this, by calling them all..." he added.

Stating that he was "open", Kumaraswamy said, the government is doing whatever they want as they have power, but he has never indulged in illegally acquiring government land by creating fake documents.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah's recent statement urging his father and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda to come forward to protect the state's interest with respect to irrigation projects, Kumaraswamy hit back stating that Gowda need not learn from the chief minister.

Questioning Siddaramaiah's commitment on the issues of state's land and water, he pointed out that Gowda, despite ill health, had recently spoken on the issues concerning the state with respect to the Godavari and Cauvery rivers linking in the Parliament. "What is D K Shivakumar (Deputy CM and water resources minister) contribution, other than looting the money?," he asked.