Land worth Rs 300-400 cr given for Chanakya varsity at Rs 50 cr, alleges Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Sep 22: Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Siddaramaiah on Wednesday urged the State government to drop the decision to allot land at a cheaper price to the Centre for Education and Social Studies (CESS) to establish Chanakya University.
Expressing reservation against the move to transfer the land to CESS the members of which are from the RSS, the senior Congress leader said the party would seek legal remedy against the decision.
He claimed that the government allotted land worth Rs 300-400 crore at a throwaway price of Rs 50 crore to the proposed university.
The Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Chanakya University Bill to set up a new private varsity.
"All the members of CESS are from RSS. This is an organisation that promotes the idea of Manu. They want to re-establish the Varnashrama system in our society," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he alleged that the BJP government hurriedly passed the Chanakya University Bill with a voice-vote in the Assembly without giving room for debate or discussion.
"CESS does not have any prior experience of managing educational institutions and also does not have any infrastructure to start a university. The government should clarify on what criteria has the land been allocated to them," he said.
Noting that the Cabinet in April 2021 decided to hand over 116 acres in Haraluru near Devanahalli to CESS, Siddaramaiah said the notified land was acquired by Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to establish aerospace and defence industries.
"KIADB had acquired the land at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore per acre and gave compensation of Rs 175 crore to acquire the over 116 acres. The same land is now being given to CESS at just Rs 50 crore. The current market price is Rs 300-400 crore," he said.
Alleging that the government is giving a priced land to a RSS-backed agency at a cheaper price, the former Chief Minister said it is unfortunate that the government has overlooked all regulations related to the setting up of a university. "This is a highly criminal and corrupt attempt by the BJP government," he said.
At a time when the second wave of Covid was at its peak and the government was starved of funds, the then B S Yediyurappa government was trying to gift the priced land to CESS at a cheaper cost, he said.
Siddaramaiah further said the Assembly Speaker was partial in his conduct while passing the Chanakya University Bill. He disallowed the leaders of the opposition to discuss important issues surrounding the Bill.
Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar asked as to why the Chanakya University was not given land available next to the Sanskrit University in Magadi.
Why set up an RSS university on land meant for industries? he asked.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Blue corner notice issued against Prajwal Revanna, says Karnataka HM G Parameshwara
Bengaluru, May 5: Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Sunday said a Blue Corner notice has been issued and Interpol's help is being taken to bring NDA's Hassan Lok Sabha candidate Prajwal Revanna, who is facing sexual harassment cases, back to India.
A Blue Corner Notice is issued by the international police cooperation body to collect additional information from its member countries about a person's identity, location or activities in relation to a crime.
The minister said the Special Investigation Team formed to probe the sex scandal will decide on how to bring Prajwal back.
"Already Blue Corner notice has been issued. The Interpol will inform all the countries and locate him," Parameshwara told reporters here.
ALSO READ: Congress govt in Karnataka to give financial assistance to Prajwal rape victims
Appreciating the work of SIT, formed to probe the case, he said the team is doing its job and has acted as per law on the complaints it has received.
He recalled it has arrested the 'accused,' apparently referring to Prajwal's father HD Revanna, who was apprehended in an abduction case.
Prajwal's father Revanna, a JD(S) MLA, is also facing molestation and kidnapping charges, and has been arrested by the SIT on Saturday.
He was arrested by the sleuths of SIT on Saturday in the kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegations against his son Prajwal. He was picked up soon after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail plea.
Explicit video clips allegedly involving the 33-year-old Prajwal, grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days, following which the state government constituted the SIT to probe the sexual abuse allegations against the MP.
