BJP Accuses Congress President of Land Scam in Karnataka

Allegations Against Mallikarjun Kharge

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has leveled serious allegations against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, claiming his involvement in a land scam in Karnataka. This controversy revolves around the allocation of land to a trust managed by his family. During a press briefing at the party's headquarters in New Delhi, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari stated that in 2024, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) allocated nearly five acres of industrial land to the trust for research and development in the aerospace and defense sectors. Bhandari questioned this allocation, asserting that the trust lacked any prior experience in these fields yet was granted land valued at approximately ₹100 crores.

Bhandari further accused Kharge and his son of engaging in land grabbing and corruption through the Siddharth Vihar Trust, which includes Kharge, his son Priyank Kharge, his son-in-law, and his wife. He claimed that the trust has exploited its political influence to seize land from the poor.

He reiterated that the Siddharth Vihar Trust received five acres of land from the KIADB in 2024, with the promise of conducting research and development in aerospace and defense. However, the trust has reportedly not undertaken any work in these sectors to date. This raises the question of why the Karnataka Congress government allocated such valuable industrial land to a trust that includes Mallikarjun Kharge as a member.

Bhandari also questioned whether Kharge and Priyank Kharge used their positions and influence to acquire the five acres of industrial land. He challenged Kharge to explain what work the trust has done that warranted the allocation of land meant for aerospace and defense research.