Kharge Family Land Scandal: Fresh Controversy Hits Karnataka Govt Amid MUDA Land Scam Fallout

The embattled Karnataka government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, finds itself amid yet another controversy, this time involving a land allocation scandal. While Siddaramaiah already faces criticism for the MUDA land scam, a fresh controversy has surfaced, placing Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge and his family at the center of the storm. The issue revolves around a 5-acre plot of land in the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) near Bengaluru, allegedly allocated to the Siddhartha Vihara Trust, which is run by the Kharge family. Documents accessed by India Today reveal that this 5-acre parcel, part of a larger 45.94-acre area intended for civic amenities under the SC quota, was allocated in the Hitech Defence Aerospace Park. The trust members include Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife Radhabai Kharge, his son-in-law and MP Radhakrishna, and his sons, including Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge. Activist Dinesh Kallahalli is calling for action against Minister MB Patil, who is accused of facilitating the land allocation in March 2024. The BJP has seized upon these allegations, using them as ammunition to accuse the Congress of misusing power for personal gain. The big question now is whether this land allocation will be thoroughly investigated.