BJP cites 2017 audit report on Pali institute land

Bengaluru: The BJP on Tuesday dusted out a 2017 Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) observation that free leasing 19 acres of land to an institute run by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s family trust “was not in larger public interest”.

To mount pressure on the Kharges, the BJP said the CAG had flagged violation of rules in leasing land to the International Institute of Pali, Sanskrit & Comparative Philosophy in Kalaburagi. The violation of the Karnataka Land Grant (KLG) rules led to a shortfall of Rs 66.94 lakh in lease rent. 

In June 2017, the CAG audited the government’s decision to give 19 acres of land at the Kusunoor village in Kalaburagi to the Pali institute free of cost. In March 2014, the institute was given 16 acres of land on lease at 10 per cent of the prevailing market value with a 10 per cent increase once in two years. In Feb 2016, three more acres were provided. 

Later, the government modified its order and gave land free of cost. “However, the rent was not demanded up to the date of order leasing land free of cost,” the audit stated. 

According to CAG, land within municipal limits has to be reserved for infrastructure facilities and public needs such as housing and education. “However, valuable land situated within 5 km of municipal limits was leased to the Trust free of cost, which is not in larger public interest (sic),” it said. 

The audit pointed out that as per KLG rule 19(5)(i), no land should be leased to any educational institution that is unrecognised and not in existence for at least five years prior to the date of filing the lease application. “However, in the instant case, the land was granted to the Trust, which was created and registered in February 2014 and the land was granted in March 2014,” it stated. 

“I once again seek an independent probe,” Rajya Sabha BJP member Lahar Singh Siroya said.