Bangalore: The report of the Karnataka minority’s commission on the alleged Rs two lakh crore Wakf property scam on Tuesday generated considerable heat in the
Legislative Assembly, where an agitated opposition demanded a thorough enquiry and punishment to those found guilty.
Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said the government is
studying the report and would take a decision on it after
opposition Congress and JDS members demanded its tabling and
discussion in the House.
The matter was raised during Zero Hour by C T Ravi (BJP)
and H D Revanna (JDS), who termed it as a serious issue and
demanded "action without hesitation" if there is truth in it.
Zameer Ahmed Khan (JDS) said though the report is yet to be
tabled, a section of the media has already reported that many
politicians, including himself, have been implicated in it.
Claiming that the magnitude of the alleged scam is the
size of two Karnataka budgets, he suggested a probe into it by
former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde, saying the
former Supreme Court Judge does not "yield politically".
"The guilty should be hanged", he said, while Qamarul
Islam and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and N A Harris
(all Congress) demanded a CBI investigation. Tanveer Sait
(Congress) said the guilty should be punished.
Harris and U T Khader (Cong) said if the report is found
"wrong", the commission`s chairman Anwar Manippady should be
punished. Sayeed Yasin (Cong) termed the report "abnormal",
contending that as per law Wakf property cannot be sold.
Siddaramaiah said the report should be tabled as one should
know how the enquiry was conducted, evidence collected and
conclusions arrived at as several legislators have been
indicted, leading to their "character assassination".
"Let it be referred to CBI", he said.
Wakf properties worth about Rs two lakh crore have been
encroached upon or sold illegally, according to the report
submitted to the Chief Minister yesterday, with Manippady
terming it "bigger than 2-G scam" in magnitude.
It reportedly said Wakf property had been misused since
1954, thanks to the "nexus" between Wakf officials and real
estate mafia.
PTI
