Karnataka Land Row: BJP Alleges Kharge Family Trust Benefited from Prime Public Land Allotments

A fresh political controversy has erupted after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and his family-linked Siddharth Vihar Trust of benefiting from controversial land allotments in Karnataka. During a press conference, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that valuable public land was allocated to the trust under questionable circumstances when the Congress was in power in the state. According to the BJP, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) allotted five acres of industrial land near Bengaluru to the Siddharth Vihar Trust in 2024 for research and development activities related to aerospace and defense. The BJP claimed the land carries a market value of nearly ₹100 crore and questioned whether the trust possessed the expertise or track record required for such a project. The party further alleged that the same trust had previously received 19 acres of land in Kalaburagi district in 2016 for research and development related to Pali language studies. BJP leaders argued that the repeated allocation of public land to a trust associated with members of the Kharge family raises concerns about conflict of interest and possible misuse of political influence. Bhandari also cited provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, alleging that public office should not be used for personal or institutional gain. The BJP has demanded clarification from Mallikarjun Kharge regarding the nature of the trust’s activities and the circumstances under which the land allotments were approved. The Congress party has not yet issued a detailed response to the latest allegations. The controversy is expected to intensify as political parties continue to trade charges ahead of upcoming electoral battles, with the land allotment issue emerging as a new flashpoint in Karnataka politics.

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