Vijayanagara (Karnataka): Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi declared on May 20, 2025, that his Party wants Karnataka to be the first state in the country where every landowner has official records. He was addressing a massive gathering at the ‘Sadhana Samavesha,’ organised at Hospet town in Vijayanagara district to mark the completion of two years in office of the Congress-led government in Karnataka.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi said, “There were many settlements that were never recognized 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. This is a significant step towards realizing the dream of Indira Gandhi.

Shri Rahul Gandhi noted that the Congress government in Karnataka has completed two years in power. “We made five major promises during the election. The BJP and the Prime Minister claimed these guarantees were impossible to implement,” he said.

50,000 more to go

He noted that around 2,000 hamlets are being recognized 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.

Criticizing the BJP for “Channelling the country’s wealth to a handful of ultra-rich individuals,” Shri Rahul Gandhi contrasted the Congress’ approach which, he said, prioritized 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. “The BJP model eliminates jobs. Our model creates employment. If you fall sick, the BJP model will push you into debt, while ours provides financial support. The BJP gives lakhs of crores to private universities, forcing lakhs of families to take loans. Our model puts money in people’s hands,” Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha concluded.

“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 Shri 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 Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah, Revenue Minister Shri Krishna Byre Gowda, and others.