K’taka minister Krishna Byregowda accused of corruption, land encroachment; BJP demands resignation
Belagavi: The Karnataka BJP on Wednesday accused Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda of land encroachment and corruption and demanded his resignation. The party also released documents and videos in support of its allegations.
BJP workers staged protests at the Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency in Bengaluru against Minister Byregowda, alleging that he had grabbed 21 acres of land in Kolar district that originally belonged to a lake and a burial ground.
It may be noted that Minister Byregowda represents the Byatarayanapura Assembly segment, while Kolar is his native district.
Police detained BJP workers for protesting without permission, loaded them into buses, and took them to an undisclosed location.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, demanded the immediate resignation of Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda, accusing him of corruption and of illegally transferring cemetery land and tank land into his name.
Addressing the media in Belagavi, Narayanaswamy released documents alleging that the minister had manipulated records to transfer one acre of cemetery land (Survey No. 47) and 20 acres and 16 guntas of tank land (Survey No. 46) in Garudanapalya village of Narsapura hobli in Kolar district into his name.
The total value of the land is estimated to be around Rs 100–120 crore, he said.
“This is a clear case of corruption and misuse of power,” Narayanaswamy said. “The minister’s actions are a shame and an insult to the people of Karnataka. He should immediately resign and face an investigation.”
Narayanaswamy questioned how the minister had managed to transfer the land into his name despite it being cemetery and tank land, which are protected under law.
He alleged that the minister’s father, late C. Byregowda, had manipulated documents to transfer the land into their names.
The opposition leader demanded that the government conduct an investigation into the matter and reclaim the land. “The people of Karnataka will not tolerate such corruption and misuse of power,” he warned.
Narayanaswamy also announced that the opposition would take legal action if the minister does not resign immediately. “We will fight this case in court and ensure that the minister is brought to justice,” he said.
The allegations have sparked political outrage in the state. The incident has also raised questions about the government’s commitment to fighting corruption and protecting public land, he said.
Minister Krishna Byregowda, however, refuted all the charges against him and maintained that the allegations are politically motivated. He stated that he is ready to face any investigation into the matter.