'When did they turn aerospace entrepreneurs?' asks BJP as Kharge family allotted 5 acres of land in aerospace park near Bangalore

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fired another land scam charge against the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka. In a tweet, Lahar Singh Siroya, BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka, said that a trust -- Siddhartha Vihara Trust -- run by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's family has been allocated 5 acres of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land meant for civic amenities, under the SC quota.

"When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for KIADB land? Is this about misuse of power, nepotism, and conflict of interest?" the BJP MP asked.   

Siroya said the 5 acres of land allotted is in the Hitech Defence Aerospace Park near Bangalore. "Interestingly, those who are trustees include Mr Kharge Sr. himself, his wife, Mrs Radhabai Kharge, his son-in-law and Gulbarga MP, Mr Radhakrishna, another son and, minister in the Karnataka Government, Mr. 
@PriyankKharge, and yet another son, Mr. Rahul Kharge among others. Is this about misuse of power, nepotism & conflict of interest?"

Targeting the industry minister MB Patil, the BJP MP asked how he could allow this transaction in March 2024. "When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for KIADB land? The matter of this alleged illegal allocation has also reached the Hon’ble Governor’s office," he said. 

"Will the Kharge family eventually have to give up this land like Mr Siddaramaiah will have to give up the controversial #MUDA sites in Mysore? Will this allocation be probed?" he asked. 

However, Mallikarjun Kharge's son and minister Priyank Kharge defended the land allotment, saying there was no illegality in it. "BJP can say what they want. But they have to tell the people how is it illegal and what is illegal. It is a CA (Civic Amenity) site. It is not an industrial plot. It's an educational thing," the minister said.

Kharge said the trust has been there for more than 2 decades and has been running educational institutions. "Lahar Singh has fallen out of political favour. He wants to get back by maligning Mallikarjun Kharge and his family. By this, he will be back in the limelight. If they (BJP) are not able to figure out how it is illegal, then what should I answer?" he asked.

"The problem with BJP is, when they do things illegally it's okay, but even if we do things legally they have a problem," the IT minister said. 

However, the BJP doubled down on its charges against Kharge. Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra said the Kharge family trust had been allotted 5 acres of civic amenities plot which is right next to the Bengaluru International Airport. "This plot is worth crores and is a valuable plot. My question is if the government wanted to allot this property how many applicants were there? Why only the Kharge family's trust was chosen for the allotment?"