Minister Ramanath Rai Clarifies on Allegations of Illegal Assets
Mangalauru: “I want to clarify the allegations on me made by Harikrishna Bantwal. My parents had purchased hundreds of acres of land in 1961, in Kallige. During the land reformation, my parents had given the purchased land to our tenants. Rest of the land was divided between 5 children according to our parents will. According to the will we have received our share of the land. My siblings sold their land for me for which I have paid a reasonable price. Now I have 15.22 acres of land but Harikrishna Bantwal has alleged that I have acquired government land illegally. I do not need to acquire any land illegally as alleged”, said the district minister in-charge Ramanath Rai in a press meet held at the DCC office here on November 13.
Addressing the mediapersons Ramanath Rai said, “During the land reformation some Survey numbers were misplaced and the tenants came to me. I have immediately provided the necessary documents to them and given them the land. In my Varga land I have 8 acres of rubber farm and a borewell. If I would have gone to the court in Kallige and Perne I could have acres of the land back, even now it is possible for me to get the land back, but I will never do it. I do not have any bad habits, whatever I have lost it is for the people.”
Ramanath Rai further said, “In Mani my wife Shaila Dhanabhagya Rai and her family has 7.90 acres of land. Adjacent to her parents land my wife got 3.04 acres land. But her brother has filed a complaint in the AC court and we are waiting for the judgement.”
When asked will you file a defamation case against Harikrishna Bantwal, Rai said, “Have I hurt anyone? Have I give any statement against Harikrishna? I have not used foul or abusive language against anyone. I have never hurt him, but he has been speaking against me. I do not know whether it is jealousy, personal or politically motivated”.
When asked about Nalin Kumar saying that Ramanath Rai is not doing any development work still he has won the election six times, Ramanath said, “Yes, Nalin Kumar had earlier said that only in Ramanath Rai’s constituency there is development work and he is not doing any development work in other constituencies”.
