New Delhi: The Karnataka government under chief minister Siddaramaiah has put the grant of 35.33 acres of gomala land to the RSS-linked Janaseva Trust in Bengaluru on hold. Other such grants made by the previous BJP government have also been put on hold, Deccan Herald reported.

'Gomala' refers to government land that has been set aside for animal grazing. This particular land grant had been by the BJP in September last year.

Soon after coming to power, Siddaramaiah had issued a note on May 25 telling authorities to maintain status quo on the land grants made by the BJP before the elections. Now, in response to a written question from BJP MLA S.T. Somashekar on government land given to various organisations in the Bengaluru South taluk, Karnataka revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda cited the chief minister’s note and said that the allotment of 35.33 acres to the Janaseva Trust is on hold.

All other such land grants made in the months prior to the assembly elections are also reportedly on hold.

Janaseva Trust secretary Nirmal Kumar told Deccan Herald, “There is no communication regarding this to the Trust from any source of the government.”

“We’re reviewing cases of hurried allotments, which includes undeserving grants... We will review grants on the basis of eligibility and objective. We'll look at whether or not public interest was involved,” Gowda told Deccan Herald. He specifically pointed out that one nonprofit was granted 35 acres of land for the purpose of a goshala.

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