Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 20: The state high court (HC), on Monday October 19, issued interim stay against undertaking any work at Kalpala Betta in Kanakapura taluk, Ramanagara district, without court’s prior permission. This order was directed at Kapalabetta Abhivrudhi Trust.

Anthony Swamy and others from Harobele village had filed public interest litigation (PIL) questioning the order of the government sanctioning ten acres of land to the said trust. A division bench of the HC presided over by Chief Justice A S Oka passed this interim order.

It also directed issuance of notices to defendants mentioned in the litigation viz chief secretary of the state government, principal secretary in revenue department, Ramanagara deputy commissioner, sub-divisional officer, tahsildar and Harobele Kapalabetta Abhivrudhi Trust. The defendants have been asked to file objections if any.

The petitioners have questioned the propriety in sanctioning ten acres of land to the said trust at Kapala Betta for undertaking religious activities. Advocate Ganapathi Bhat Vajarahalli, arguing the case on behalf of the petitioners, said that the then government had sanctioned ten acres of land to the trust on the basis of a letter written by former minister D K Shivakumar, and MP D K Suresh. He said that Christians had not sought land at Kapala Betta for religious activities. He also said that Shivakumar brothers had written to the deputy commissioner in 2017 to sanction land to the trust with an eye on political selfishness and vote bank.

The advocate further said that Kapala Betta is a pasture land reserved for the cattle from surrounding villages to graze. "The Supreme Court had ordered that government land should not be used for selfish interests of private individuals or religious activities. Therefore, sanction of land to the trust is violation of the order," he stressed.