Grave Allegations: How Did Cemetery & Lake Land End Up in Karnataka Revenue Minister’s Name?
Belagavi: Serious allegations have been levelled against Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, with the BJP demanding his immediate resignation over the alleged transfer of cemetery land and lake buffer land into his name.
Addressing the media in Belagavi, Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy accused the minister—often projected as “Mr Clean”—of being embroiled in a major land irregularity. Displaying land records before reporters, Narayanaswamy called for a government probe and demanded that the minister give a clear explanation on the floor of the House.
According to the BJP leader, the case pertains to Survey No. 47, measuring 1 acre, and Survey No. 46, measuring 20 acres and 16 guntas, located in Garudanapalya village, Narasapura Hobli, Kolar district. He claimed that one parcel is officially recorded as cemetery land, while the other is classified as lake land, taking the total extent to 21 acres and 16 guntas.
Narayanswamy alleged that the market value of the land runs into ₹5–6 crore per acre, making it a high-value property. He asserted that cemetery land is government kharab land and cannot legally be transferred into private names under any circumstances.
“According to original revenue records, Survey No. 47 is marked as government kharab – cemetery land. How was this transferred into the name of the Revenue Minister?” he questioned. He further alleged that documents were altered through panchayat partition entries, enabling the land to be registered in the name of Krishna Byre Gowda, son of late C. Byre Gowda (former minister).
The BJP leader also flagged irregularities in the second parcel, stating that Survey No. 46, originally recorded as lake land, was later shown as “kharab” by adding notations in the records. “Both lands must be taken back by the government,” he demanded, warning that more such cases may surface.
Narayanswamy pointed out that as per records dated 6 November 1978, the land was clearly listed as lake land, and questioned how the “kharab” classification appeared later. He also claimed that changes to cemetery land records were allegedly made as recently as April 20, 2024.
Stating that the issue goes beyond politics, the BJP leader said the matter concerns public land, public trust, and legality, and warned that the opposition would not hesitate to pursue legal action if necessary.
Leader of Opposition Chief Whip N. Ravikumar, MLA Mahesh Tenginakai, and other BJP leaders were present during the press interaction.
Also Read: Krishna Byre Gowda Rejects Land Allegations, Calls for Independent Lokayukta Investigation
ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ: ಕಂದಾಯ ಸಚಿವ ಕೃಷ್ಣಬೈರೇಗೌಡ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಸ್ಮಶಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಕೆರೆ ಭೂಮಿ ವರ್ಗಾವಣೆ ಆರೋಪ; ರಾಜೀನಾಮೆಗೆ ವಿಪಕ್ಷ ಆಗ್ರಹ
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