Pali institute is a public trust with govt, CSU reps: Priyank Kharge

Bengaluru: The International Institute of Pali, Sanskrit and Comparative Philosophy at Kalaburagi is a public trust set up that has representatives from the state government and the Central Sanskrit University (CSU), IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge has said. 

Priyank was responding to a 2017 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) observation, which the Opposition BJP used earlier this week to target his family trust that runs the Pali Institute.

The CAG had observed that free leasing 19 acres of land to the institute “was not in the larger public interest”. In a tweet, Priyank said: “Land can be given for educational purposes as per CAG report.”

Priyank said the Central Sanskrit University, one of the founder trustees of the Pali Institute, was established in 1970 by the union government.

“The Commissioner of Public Instruction is also a founder trustee, besides, Vice Chancellor, Central Sanskrit University and Deputy Commissioner, Kalaburagi (Author of the Trust),” Priyank said. Addressing Rajya Sabha BJP member Lahar Singh Siroya, Priyank said: “This was approved by your then government.”