‘Greater Mysuru plan helps land grabbers’

Congress gives Govt. land to party trusts, BJP backs Sangh Parivar outfits: N. Diwakar

Mysore/Mysuru: Transforming the Mysuru City Corporation into a ‘Greater Mysuru City Corporation’ will not benefit ordinary citizens, but instead aid land grabbers and politicians, progressive thinker and writer N. Diwakar said.

He was speaking at the release of the book ‘Bhu Kabalike Siddhanta’, edited by G. Mahantesh, at the Indian Institute of Educational Theatre on the Hardwicke School premises on JLB Road last evening.

The programme was organised by Rangavalli, Mysuru and Paradarshak Media Foundation, Bengaluru.

Alleging large-scale irregularities, Diwakar claimed that under the banner of ‘Greater Mysuru,’ agricultural lands on the city’s outskirts are being systematically acquired to benefit real estate developers and corporate firms.

This, he said, has resulted in tax evasion worth crores of rupees, while farmers are lured with quick money and compelled to sell their land at throwaway prices. “These lands are later transferred to corporate entities aligned with the Government, leaving farmers dispossessed and vulnerable,” he said.

Expressing concern, Diwakar alleged that successive Governments in Karnataka have been anti-farmer and anti-people, pointing out that lands acquired in the name of development, including Gomala (grazing grounds) have often been allotted to organisations linked to ruling parties.

Land allotments to benefit ideology

He also accused major political parties of using land allotments to serve their ideological interests, claiming that Congress Governments favoured party trusts while BJP regimes extended benefits to organisations linked to the Sangh Parivar. Public assets, he said, were being handed over at nominal rates, resulting in significant losses to the State exchequer.

Speaking on the occasion, editor G. Mahantesh questioned the need for private institutions such as Rashtrotthana Parishat, which he said reports revenues exceeding Rs. 401 crore, to seek Government-allotted civic and grazing lands. Such institutions, he argued, should instead purchase land at market rates.

Across six urban local bodies in Karnataka, civic amenity (CA) sites meant for public facilities have been allotted to the Congress Bhavan Trust at rates far below market value, allegedly violating established norms. In some cases, even the Revenue Department has sanctioned land at concessional prices, raising questions over the propriety of such decisions, he said.

Mahantesh also pointed out that leaders who had earlier criticised land allotments under the BJP Government have remained silent after coming to power. He alleged that even now, land worth hundreds of crores continues to be sanctioned in the names of Congress party trusts, with approvals from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.

There are several such instances, about perpetuated questionable land allotment practices in Karnataka.’