The State Government on Tuesday came under intense pressure to withdraw the trust entrusted to set up an experiential centre called ‘Experience Bengaluru’ in the precincts of the now defunct Mysore Lamps here. Instead, legislators argued that the land in the heart of the city could be used to construct a high class medical facility.
Cutting across party lines, the legislators urged the Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani to withdraw the trust even as the Minister tried to convince the members that the land will not be handed over to the trust. The Minister also said that he was not adamant in going ahead with the trust and was open for discussion.
However, members from all the parties read out the content of the documents involved in the trust formation, and suspected that the trust could misuse the properties of Mysore Lamps, including 21 acres in Malleswaram, that is worth over ₹1,000 crore. Janata Dal (Secular) member K.A. Thippeswamy sought to know how the Government would handle over ₹592 crore, including ₹292 crore to the Government, dues that the defunct company owns.
In an emotionally charged discussion, JD(S) member K.T. Srikante Gowda, who raised the issue, urged the Government to withdraw the trust immediately while his party colleague S.L. Bhoje Gowda threatened to file a PIL the day the trust gets hold of the land. Leader of the Opposition B.K. Hariprasad pointed out that several experiments with trusts have failed, and the land could be given to Tata Institute or to set up All India Institute of Medical Sciences. BJP member Tejaswini Gowda also urged for the land to be used for medical facility.
