Alleging that several political leaders were in possession of lands belonging to various temples in the State, particularly in Bengaluru, by managing to get them at lease at throwaway rates, K.R. Ramesh Kumar, Congress MLA, demanded that the government make public their names.
Participating in a debate on the State Budget in the Assembly, Mr. Ramesh Kumar alleged that politicians had managed to get prime temple lands belonging to the Muzrai Department on lease for 99 to 100 years at cheap rates. He urged the Muzrai Minister to furnish a detailed list of people who have got long-term leases.
He made the demand while referring to the general allegation of the BJP that Wakfs properties have been encroached or misused by Muslim leaders. “It is not just Wakf properties that have been misused or mishandled. Religion is just being used by people with vested interests belonging to all faiths to serve their own selfish interests,” he maintained.
On Yeshaswini
Mr. Ramesh Kumar questioned the logic of the State Budget bringing back the health insurance scheme of Yeshaswini thougn a similar scheme existed. Suggesting that Yeshaswini could be misused, he alleged that 80% of funds allotted to the scheme had gone to a single institution.
Pointing out that four corporate houses in the country had defaulted nationalised banks to the tune of ₹23,000 crore, he took exception to the bias of lending institutions against poor families.
