New Delhi: BJP Wednesday accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Priyank, a Karnataka minister, of “land grab” in their home state for ostensible purposes as diverse as setting up of ventures in aerospace and defence and promotion of the Pali language.It is the Congress dispensation in the state that has enriched them through their family trust, BJP alleged, marking an apparent distinction with the charges against Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav’s extended family members allegedly purchasing several chunks of private land since he took office in 2023. It also said, “Public land that was earlier (Karnataka) govt’s and public property was handed over to Mallikarjun Kharge’s private trust.”Stepping up its attack, Congress accused BJP and RSS of patronising corruption, while seeking a SC inquiry into the MP issue. MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari said there are many instances where powerful people in the state have bought land in areas where new roads and highways are to be constructed. Daring the Congress govt in Karnataka to take action against the Kharges, BJP said, “Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyank Kharge have created a new modus operandi of land grab in Karnataka under the name of Siddharth Vihara Trust, which reminds of the Gandhi-Vadra family’s land grab.” The party has dismissed the charges against Mohan Yadav as baseless.BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, “Valuable lands were given to the trust, whose members also include Congress president’s wife and son-in-law, in Bengaluru, Gulbarga, and Banashankari.” He added, “Did Mallikarjun Kharge use his power and influence? Did Priyank Kharge use his power and influence? Was Karnataka’s five acres of industrial land, worth Rs 100 crore, privately grabbed.” In 2024, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board allotted five acres of land to the trust for the purpose of undertaking research and development in aerospace and defence sectors even though it has no link with the field, he said.
