BJP Chief Whip Accused of Regularizing Encroached Govt Land
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Aug 28: It is now the turn of state’s ruling BJP party MLA from Sringeri in Chikmagalur district D N Jeevaraj, who is also the party’s chief whip in the Assembly, to be accused of being involved in a dubious scandal of regularization of encroached government lands in the Narasimharajapura taluk.
However, Jeevaraj has stoutly denied his or his family’s involvement in any regularization of encroached government lands anywhere in the district.
''Neither myself or any member of my family is involved in the regularisation of unauthorised cultivable government lands in the taluk or constituency. I am ready to face any kind of inquiry,” Jeevaraj told reporters on Saturday August 28.
The BJP leader termed media reports about his involvement in regularisation of encroached government lands as “baseless” and “fallacious.”
A section of the media has reported that a constituency level “Bagar Hukum” committee headed by Jeevaraj, who is representing Sringeri constituency, had regularised encroached government lands in N R Pura taluk.
A Government Land Protection Task Force headed by retired IAS officer V Balasubramanian had been constituted to reclaim the encroached government lands in different districts of the state.
The MLA said there was no substance in charges made by the opposition leaders about his involvement in the land scam.
The committee had not held a meeting during the last two years, he said while pointing out that it had received 382 applications from the people.
The committee only made recommendations to the forest department about regularisation of illegal cultivation of lands, which had to be approved by the tahsildar, he said.
Jeevaraj said he is ready to face a probe by the state Lokayukta or a retired High Court judge to clear his name from charges. He demanded a comprehensive probe into all instances of regularisation of lands from 1883 till 2010 so that the truth should come out.
The Congress and JD (S) leaders have been leveling charges against him to gain political mileage in the coming bypolls in two constituencies, he alleged.
Balasubramanian, in his report, mentioned that complaints made by people against some politicians and other influential people about encroachment of government land. The report said the highest encroachment was reported in the Chikmagalur district.