DKS in row over trust membership
DKS brothers caught in a controversy surrounding a historical educational institute of the city.
Bangalore: State energy minister D. K. Shivakumar and his brother, Bangalore Rural MP D. K. Suresh are in the news again for the wrong reason. This time the DKS brothers are caught in a controversy surrounding a historical educational institute of the city.
The main allegation against them is that they have fraudulently secured life membership of the Arya Vidyashala Parents Association, which runs several institutes and hostels in and around the Majestic area.
An independent inquiry carried out by the cooperatives department has also upheld this allegation and has called Shivakumar's elevation as chairman and Suresh's elevation as treasurer, illegal.
According to the association’s members, in 2005 the DKS brothers were granted life membership by violating a by-law of the association. They had applied for membership in September 2005 and paid Rs 50,000 (a violation of the by-law) and secured life membership in December 2005, superseding other senior members.
During this period Shivarkumar was a powerful minister in the then Congress state government headed by S.M. Krishna. Documents show that the seniority of JD(S) leader, H. D. Kumaraswami was overlooked while granting life membership to the brothers.
The findings of an inquiry carried out by the additional registrar of the Cooperatives department in 2011, and the report submitted to the government in March 2012, confirm this.
B. K. Gangappa (70), a life member and a petitioner in the case, has alleged that the brothers are keen to grab the one-and-a-half acres of land valued at Rs 500 crore that belongs to the association. He has urged the Chief Minister to intervene immediately and appoint an administrative officer to the association, replacing D.K. Shivakumar.
Speaking to this newspaper freedom fighter and social activist Doreswamy alleged that even today the state government has not initiated any action in this case. "Every one should raise their voice. This association has a history and government should not allow anybody to misuse its properties," he said.