Wadiyar stakes claim on land
However, according to Wadiyar, MUDA had filed a writ petition in City Civil court claiming the land as its own which went against them. Later, when they went on appeal again in the High Court, it clearly stated, ‘The land does not belong to MUDA. It cannot claim adverse possession against the true owner, respondent 5 (Wadiyar).’
Speaking to Deccan Herald over phone from Bangalore, Wadiyar said even the Income Tax department had said that the land owner’s father (Jayachamaraj Wadiyar) had a khata registered in his name.
Asked about the MUDA’s clarification regarding the said property bearing Survey No 1, was a revenue land and did not come under the purview of MUDA, he said, this was not true as the entire land including the Exhibition Authority land where the exhibitions are conducted which roughly is about 135 acres to 145 acres (including the Garike Maala land) belonged to him.
“Why will the court declare it as a private property? It was an agreement signed in 1950 during the State’s reorganisation and the said Garike Maala land and the entire Doddakere Maidan land was drawn in the name of my father. On the basis of the High Court order we have put up the board, saying that the land belongs to me and trespassers will be prosecuted,” he said. The reason for putting up the sign board now was because the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) and a few other government agencies were planning to use this land for other purposes.
According to sources close to the palace, the exhibition ground can be gifted to the government only on the condition that it will always be used for public purposes and not for developing any commercial or residential properties.
Wadiyar also said that earlier the football association had tried to claim that the land belonged to them when P Nagaraj was heading the association.
But the High Court rejected his claim. In fact the MUDA had claimed six acres of land for MG Road without even a notification, he added. There were plans to put up a compound to protect the property, he said.
However, when Deccan Herald tried to get in touch with MUDA chairman L Nagendra, he was not available for comment.