Bengaluru, 2 Sep

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sought an explanation from the Congress government on a petition submitted to him by the BJP seeking the dismissal from the Cabinet of Minister Priyank Kharge over the alleged allotment of land to a trust run by his family including his father and Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge.

Priyank Kharge confirmed on Monday that the Governor has written to the Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh seeking explanation, as he hit out at Gehlot accusing him of acting with a "lightning speed" on complaints against Congress leaders, but with a "tortoise speed" on ones against BJP and JD(S) leaders.

"The (BJP's) complaint and he (Governor) writing back (to govt) seeking explanation, there is a lightning speed. It is not there in other things. On matters concerning BJP-JD(S) leaders' the speed is of tortoise. If it is Congress there will be a lighting speed," he told reporters here.

"The Governor's office becomes active when it is to build the BJP,...," Priyank Kharge alleged, adding, despite documents against BJP-JD(S) "rotting" on his table, he has not taken action.

"He (Governor) has put some queries and sent them (complaints or petitions against BJP-JD(S) leaders) back, and is saying they are not before him. When (complaint or petition) goes to the Governor's office, it does not stand disposed until and unless the Governor disposes of it....you (Governor) have asked for clarification, the file is still pending, after clarification, you have to make a decision," he added.

Priyank Kharge is the Minister for Electronics, IT/BT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.

Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy on August 27 petitioned the Governor seeking the dismissal of Priyank Kharge from Cabinet over the alleged allotment.

Alleging "nepotism", he said that it is a case of criminal breach of trust from the Kharges towards the fellow Schedule Caste entrepreneurs.

"Siddhartha Vihar Trust is being reportedly allotted five acres of land under the SC Quota by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) in the Hi­tech Defence Aerospace Park near Bengaluru out of the 45.94 acres meant for civic amenities (CA) in March 2024," Narayanaswamy has said.

Interestingly, the trustees of the Trust include Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife Radhabai, Priyank Kharge, MP and son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani, and younger son Rahul Kharge, he further pointed out, questioning how did the Kharges become aerospace entrepreneurs? "How did the department give a nod for this allotment? Was the minister (Industries) compelled to allot the land by the Chief Minister?"

Priyank Kharge's reference to BJP-JD(S) leaders was in the context of pending requests seeking sanction for prosecution against JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, and against former BJP Ministers -- Shashikala Jolle, Murugesh Nirani, G Janardhan Reddy.