Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has sharply criticized the Congress-led Karnataka government, accusing it of grabbing land from poor farmers under the guise of development projects. Speaking at a press conference from his New Delhi residence on Tuesday, Kumaraswamy targeted the ongoing issues with the Bidadi Township project in Karnataka.
“We know about all the illegal activities happening under the banner of the Bidadi Township project,” Kumaraswamy said, highlighting what he called a betrayal of farmers’ rights.
He recalled his own efforts back in 2006, when he proposed creating five townships, including one near Bidadi. “I held four public meetings with farmers—many of them women—and had open discussions,” he explained. “But I never acquired even a single inch of land from them.”
Kumaraswamy slammed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s administration for claiming to revive his old “dream project.” Instead, he alleged, the government is handing out huge chunks of public land to favorites: 500 acres to one person, 200 to another, and 300 to someone else. “This is public land, not something you own or earned,” he stressed. “They can’t just distribute it like that.”
The minister revealed his original plan cost Rs 60,000 crore and even won approval from the Union Government’s Economic Affairs Committee. But after his government collapsed, the project got shelved—and he still didn’t touch any land.
Turning his fire on Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Kumaraswamy demanded: “Let him swear and tell us how many people’s homes he’s destroyed.” He also accused the government of fraud, saying they manipulated the legitimate ‘Naija Society’ by inserting a fake vegetable society from Vijayapura to make it look real. In another case, officials allegedly created phony members to seize land in the society’s name. “I have all the documents and proof of these scams,” Kumaraswamy claimed.
Wrapping up, he lamented the state of Bengaluru, the city founded by legendary ruler Kempegowda. “It’s now controlled by anti-social elements, thieves, and land mafias who are looting and destroying it,” he said, calling for action to protect Karnataka’s farmers and public resources.
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