Governor Vajubhai R. Vala has not given his response on the alleged scam worth Rs. 15 lakh crore related to encroachment of wakf properties across the State. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded tabling of the report and accused Congress leaders of grabbing the properties.
The issue of alleged encroachment of wakf property like to create a furore in the Legislative Council session commencing from Monday.
Speaking to reporters, Council Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy said he had called on the Governor in March last and discussed the impasse in the House owing to not tabling of the report by the government. He said the Governor has not given any response or direction to him on the tabling of the report so far. He was confident of conducting the House proceedings in a peaceful manner this time (July 4 to 29).
Mr. Vala reportedly sought clarifications and also advised the government that not tabling the report could lead to a constitutional crisis.
In a letter to the Governor, the Chief Minister strongly defended his government’s stand not to table the report on wakf property prepared by the Karnataka State Minority Commission in 2012, stating that the report had no legal sanctity. Besides, the Karnataka State Minority Commission Act only says that the recommendations of the panel be placed before the House, which the government had done, Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
The Opposition BJP and JD(S) had stalled the proceedings of the Council demanding the tabling of the report in the House.
The Karnataka State Minorities Commission had submitted a report in this regard to the previous BJP government in March 2012.
