Minister rejects land grab allegation in voluntary statement in Karnataka Assembly

Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 19 (PTI) Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Friday rejected allegations that he had encroached upon a government land in a village, asserting that his family’s ownership over the land was legally established decades ago.

Amid a political row over the alleged encroachment in Garudanapalya village in Kolar taluk, the minister said the issue had been under discussion for the past few days and that attempts were being made to link him personally to the controversy.

“For the past two to three days, there has been a discussion regarding the alleged encroachment of government land in Garudanapalya village of Kolar taluk. In this matter, my name has also been dragged in, and allegations have been made that I myself have carried out the encroachment,” Byre Gowda stated in the Karnataka Assembly voluntarily.

The BJP on Wednesday had accused Gowda of grabbing 21 acres of land in Kolar district, stating that it was originally marked in records as a lake and burial ground.

The party demanded an inquiry into the Minister and his resignation.

Gowda said opposition and criticism were an inevitable part of public life and that those working with integrity were often targeted.

“Many attempts are made to trap those who work sincerely. There is no need to be disturbed by such attempts,” he told the House.

Tracing the history of the land, the minister said Garudanapalya village originally belonged to the Mysore royal family, which had purchased it in 1923 and operated an agricultural training centre there. The land was owned by the Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar Trust and managed by the Maharaja’s secretary, Narayanaswamy, who leased it to his grandfather, Chowdegowda, for ten years in 1953.

He said that before the lease period ended, the royal family decided to sell the land. As his grandfather could not arrange funds in time, the land was sold in 1959 to C M Habibulla Khan, following which a complaint was filed before the Special Deputy Commissioner of Kolar. After an inquiry, the Deputy Commissioner ruled in favour of Habibulla Khan, noting that the entire village had a single owner, uninhabited 'Becharag' village and had been sold for Rs 47,601.

Gowda said his grandfather later challenged the order before the Mysore Appellate Tribunal, where a settlement was reached.

“Habibulla Khan transferred ownership of the entire 256 acres of the village to Chowdegowda, and this is clearly recorded in the sale deed,” he said, adding that his family had been cultivating the land since then.

Responding to claims of encroachment on tank land, the minister said there were two tanks on the property but the land pertaining to them was also registered in his family’s name.

“Not even an inch of land belonging to the tanks or the channels connected to them has been encroached upon,” he said, inviting anyone to inspect the site and assuring full cooperation. PTI GMS GMS ADB