Political storm looms as govt halts Gomala land grant to RSS-linked trust

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s decision to put on hold the grant of 35.33 acres of Gomala land to the RSS-linked Jan Seva Trust near Devanahalli has set the stage for a political storm in the State.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda made the announcement on Saturday, fuelling tensions between the ruling party and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The move has once again brought to the forefront accusations of an anti-Hindutva attitude within the Siddaramaiah government. The BJP, poised to leverage the issue, is expected to demand the cancellation of all Gomala land grants made by the Congress government between 2013 and 2018 to various organisations.

Notably, the 35 acres of land in question was initially allotted by the previous BJP government under the leadership of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. This fact adds further fuel to the fire, with the BJP claiming that the Congress government’s actions are driven by a sense of vengeance against the opposition party.

Labelling the decision as an act of minority appeasement, the BJP members are preparing to take the issue to both houses of the legislature on Monday, where they plan to stall the proceedings.

Their aim is to create public opinion by highlighting what they perceive as an anti-Hindu attitude of the Congress government. The BJP’s strategy includes drawing attention to several other contentious decisions made by the Siddaramaiah government.

One such example is the amendment to the anti-slaughtering law, which has been criticised for its perceived bias against the Hindu community.

Furthermore, the removal of chapters related to RSS founder Hedgewar, veteran freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, and controversial freedom fighter Veer Savarkar from educational textbooks has added to the BJP’s claims of an antiHindu bias.

With the BJP planning to rally public support by citing these examples, the political atmosphere in Karnataka is likely to become increasingly tense in the coming days.

As the opposition party gears up to challenge the Congress government’s decisions and alleged anti-Hindu stance, it remains to be seen how this issue will be resolved.

The Siddaramaiah-led government, on the other hand, is likely to defend its actions, maintaining that the temporary hold on the Gomala land grant was made in accordance with legal considerations and to ensure fairness in the allocation of public resources.

The government may emphasise that its decisions are driven by the principles of secularism and inclusive governance. As the BJP and Congress face off over this contentious issue, it is important to note that the fate of the 35.33 acres of Gomala land near Devanahalli hangs in the balance.

Both parties will engage in a heated debate, and the outcome of these deliberations will shape the future of this particular land grant as well as influence the political landscape of Karnataka.