Udupi: MLA Raghupathi Bhat clarifies on land issue

By Subhas Marne
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 19 July 2011: BJP MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat has asked that former Congress Minister K. Jayaprakash Hegde who accused him of illegally acquiring the land has to prove it with the documents or else he should apologize in public, he said.  In the Congress walk to village program held in Padubidri recently, Jayaprakash Hegde who participated in it had accused Raghupathi Bhat of illegally acquiring 50 acre land in Adwe near Padubidri.
 
 
Giving clarification on this in the press conference Raghupathi Bhat said that, he did not illegally acquire even an inch of land in Adwe; the accusation of Jayaprakash Hegde is false, being a former minister he should speak responsibly. It is possible for anyone to believe if such allegation is made on anyone belonging to the ruling party in the state. So Jayaprakash should produce to public the documents which he says he possesses.
 

 
Already KIADB has acquired thousands of acres of land in the surrounding villages of Padubidri for companies such as Nagarjuna, Suzlon. Near to this area at Adwe recently KIADB had issued notice for the acquisition of 114 acre land. There are 12 families in this land out of which 70 acre is barren land and 44 acre is agricultural land. As per the request of the local farmers I have requested the government to release 44 acre land during acquiring the land.
 
 
When the Industrial Minister Nirani had arrived to Karkala I had taken him to Adwe, showed him the agricultural land and convinced him on the opposition of the farmers on the acquiring of the land. Because of all these efforts KIADB has released 44 acre agricultural land without making notification. The remaining 70 acre land it has made notification and by giving the compensation it has acquired it. In this land small Industries will be established, said Raghupathi Bhat.
 
 
This 44 acre agricultural land is in the possession of the farmers who are the land owners even today. So how it is possible for me to illegally acquire it? questioned MLA. In fact while Jayaprakash Hegde was the MLA in 2003 he had helped others to acquire the land, he accused. Jayaprakash Hegde had made the 20 acre illegally acquired land into legal for a Keralite entrepreneur, which was actually part of 80 acre land reserved for Koraga Community. But later the D.C. investigated the matter, the offence was proved and two officers were suspended, he said.
 
 
In the press conference Lakshmana Shetty a farmer of Adwe who was present, said that MLA has not illegally acquired any land, instead he worked to save our lands, he said. Other farmers Sanjeeva Shetty, Udaya Rai, Arun Shetty, Sunil, Suprasad Shetty, Santhosh Shetty and others were present.
 
 
I will make the documents public – says Jayaprakash Hegde
 
 
Jayaprakash Hegde told the reporters that, all the 114 acre land has been notified and has been acquired by KIADB. Now Udupi MLA is requesting the Chief Minister to de-notify 44 acre land in Adwe which is in Udupi and Kaup constituencies. There is some intention of MLA on this. I will make public his letter to the Chief Minister, documents of KIADB etc. in the right time, said Jayaprakash Hegde to reporters.