Deekshith D V
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Mar 26: Minister for health and family welfare U T Khadar, has now been made to contend with a fresh allegation relating to the allotment of a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) site in the name of UT Nasima Fareed Memorial Charitable run by his younger brother.
According to the sources, Kukke Subramanya Swamy Temple Trust had applied for the BDA site for the construction of a temple information center at Bangalore. The trust had also deposited a sum of Rs 3,99,858 on February 2, 2013 for this purpose. BDA had approved this proposal and sent an intimation to the executive officer of the temple to visit the site.
Nagaraj, executive officer of the said temple, talking to Daijiworld, said, “Three months ago I received notice that the site in question had been transferred to someone else. I am not aware of any more details. BDA is solely responsible for this transaction.”
Kishor Shiradi, a member of Kukke Subramanya Temple Trust, said, “Kukke Subramanya Temple is famous throughout the country. It does not have a full-fledged information center. Hence, for building the information center, we had applied for a BDA site in Bangalore. BDA had entertained our application and allotted a site, and the process was in the last stage. Recently we came to know that the site that was in the final stage of allotment to the temple trust had been transferred in the name of UT Nasima Fareed Memorial Charitable Trust. The temple too runs educational institutions in rural areas,” he explained.
Some TV channels have levelled serious allegations against the minister of using his clout as a state minister to transfer the above site to UT Nasima Fareed Memorial Charitable Trust which is managed by his brother, instead of to Subrahmanya Temple.
When contacted, Khadar said that the trust was established in 2004. “In 2009-10 there was a notification in newspapers seeking applications for the allotment of BDA sites. I don’t have any connection with this trust, and it is run by my younger brother. Totally seven persons had applied for this site. Kukke Subramanya Swamy Temple Trust was also one among the applicants.
"In BDA governing committee meeting, the land was allotted to the trust run by my brother, after following procedures laid out as per law and rules, duly considering the fact that the institution was being run for the benefit of differently-abled persons. This site is not allotted in individual capacity to anyone. I am prepared to face any inquiry in this respect. If it is proved that it truly belongs to the temple, I will ask the concerned to cede the site to those who are lawfully entitled for its possession. I will tell my family members to either vacate the site or else sever relationship with me in such a scenario. This controversy has been kicked up by vested interests hell bent on sullying my reputation," he said.
In the meanwhile, BJP state assistant spokesperson, Malavika Avinash, has demanded a thorough inquiry into the transfer of BDA site sanctioned to a temple to the above trust. She also has sought clarification on this issue from BDA. Addressing a press conference in Mangalore on Tuesday March 25, she urged BDA to provide detailed clarification as to why it decided to go back on allotment of the site to the temple, and diverted it to a trust instead.