In the last three assembly elections, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s affidavits have shown inconsistencies regarding a 3.16-acre agricultural land parcel in Mysore, gifted to his wife B M Parvati Siddaramaiah 14 years ago, reports The Indian Express. The land, gifted by her brother in 2010, is now the center of a political controversy.
The BJP has announced protests in Mysore, Siddaramaiah’s home district, scheduled for July 12. They are questioning the 2021 transfer of the land to the state in exchange for 14 housing plots developed by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) under a contentious “50:50” alternate site scheme.
A comparison of Siddaramaiah’s affidavits from the 2013, 2018, and 2023 Assembly polls with public land records revealed discrepancies concerning the 3.16-acre agricultural land in survey number 464 in Kesare village of Kasaba Hobli. Notably, the 2013 affidavit did not reflect his wife’s ownership of the land, despite a mutation record dated October 20, 2010, documenting the gift deed from B M Mallikarjunaswamy to B M Parvati.
In 2018, Siddaramaiah’s affidavit acknowledged his wife’s ownership of the land, valuing it at ₹25 lakh and noting it as a gift from her brother in 2010. By 2023, the affidavit detailed the allocation of 37,190.09 sq ft of land by MUDA in exchange for the Kesare village land, which was valued at ₹8.33 crore.
Activist T J Abraham has filed a complaint alleging Siddaramaiah submitted a “false affidavit” in 2013. On Thursday, Siddaramaiah claimed he was being targeted due to his background and his position as a two-term chief minister, alleging a conspiracy against him.
Siddaramaiah explained that in 2014, MUDA developed sites on his wife’s land and allocated them despite the land not belonging to MUDA. He questioned, “What should we do? Should we keep quiet?” He mentioned that his family sought alternate sites but did not specify any locality.
He further argued that if MUDA committed a wrong during the BJP’s tenure, he should not be held accountable. According to him, his family is entitled to compensation from MUDA, amounting to ₹62 crore, for taking over the land. He suggested that MUDA could take back the alternate sites allotted.
Regarding activist T J Abraham’s complaint to the Election Commission about his alleged non-disclosure of his wife’s land in his affidavit, Siddaramaiah stated, “If the Election Commission gives notice, I will respond to it. I will provide whatever answer is required by law.”
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