Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah distributing ‘hakku patra ‘ to beneficiaries at Hosapete in Vijayanagara district on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: special arrangement

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah distributing ‘hakku patra ‘ to beneficiaries at Hosapete in Vijayanagara district on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement

Calling the regularisation of settlements such as tandas, hattis, and hadis into revenue villages the “sixth and unannounced guarantee” of the Congress government, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi commended the initiative as a major achievement aimed at realising the dreams of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He also urged the State government to complete the distribution of title deeds to all residents of tandas, hattis, hadis, and other unauthorised hamlets within the next six months.

He was speaking at the Samarpana Sankalpa Samavesha, a large public gathering held in Hosapete, Vijayanagara district, on Tuesday to mark the completion of two years of Congress rule in Karnataka.

“There were many settlements that were never recognised as revenue villages. The people living there had no legal ownership of the land they had occupied for generations and were excluded from basic government services. I had raised this issue with senior Congress leaders in Karnataka. Today, I am proud to say that we have implemented what I call the sixth guarantee — without ever promising it publicly. Over one lakh families are receiving digital title deeds today. This is a significant step towards realising the dream of Indira Gandhi,” he said.

50,000 more to go

He noted that around 2,000 hamlets are being recognised as revenue villages and that the digital title deeds being issued are accessible at any time. “We promised five guarantees, but in truth, we have delivered six. This is crucial for the future of Karnataka,” he added, appealing to the government to ensure that the remaining 50,000 families in 500 hamlets also receive their ownership titles within six months.

Criticising the BJP for “channelling the country’s wealth to a handful of ultra-rich individuals,” Mr. Gandhi contrasted the Congress’ approach which, he said, prioritised redirecting taxpayers’ money towards the welfare and the development of the people.

“The Congress government in Karnataka is transferring thousands of crores of rupees directly into the bank accounts of the poor. This money is being used for your children’s education, your healthcare, and your daily needs in villages and cities alike. That spending circulates money within the local economy, boosting production and improving the economy overall,” he said.

“In contrast, the BJP wants a small group of individuals to control India’s entire wealth. That money doesn’t return to the villages. it’s used to purchase properties in foreign cities like London and New York.”

No stopping guarantees

Speaking on title deeds, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said, “We are giving Bhu guarantee scheme as the sixth guarantee to repay our debt to the people of the State who blessed us with power. As per the directions of the AICC president, the guarantee schemes will not be stopped as long as the Congress government is in power.”

The event was attended by several senior leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, and others.

Published – May 20, 2025 07:00 pm IST