Lagatar24 Desk
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly condemned Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s decision to grant sanction for his prosecution in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment ‘scam.’ The CM labeled the move as “anti-Constitutional” and “against the law,” asserting that he has done “no wrong.”
Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah vowed to challenge the Governor’s decision in court. “This decision will be questioned legally. I have no reason to resign,” he stated, rejecting demands from the opposition for his resignation. The senior Congress leader further claimed that the entire party leadership, including MLAs, MPs, and the Cabinet, stands firmly with him.
Siddaramaiah also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)), and other opposition forces of conspiring to destabilize his democratically elected government. “This is a clear conspiracy to dislodge the government by the BJP and JD(S),” he said.
The Governor’s decision to sanction Siddaramaiah’s prosecution follows petitions by three activists—Pradeep Kumar, TJ Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna—who have accused the CM and his family members of involvement in the MUDA land scam. The allegations center around the illegal allotment of 14 alternative sites in an upscale Mysuru neighborhood to Siddaramaiah’s wife, BM Parvathi, causing an alleged ?45 crore loss to the state exchequer.
According to the complaint filed by TJ Abraham with the Lokayukta police in July, Siddaramaiah, his wife, son S Yathindra, and senior MUDA officials were named in the case. Siddaramaiah has previously claimed that the land in question was gifted to his wife by her brother, Mallikarjuna, in 1998. However, activist Snehamayi Krishna alleged that Mallikarjuna illegally procured the land in 2004 and registered it using forged documents with the help of government officials, showing the purchase as having occurred in 1998.
In 2014, when Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister, BM Parvathi sought compensation for this land, leading to the current controversy.
DK Shivakumar Labels Allegations as a “Conspiracy”
Backing Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar termed the prosecution sanction a “conspiracy” and assured that the state government would support Siddaramaiah in both legal and political battles. “This is a clear conspiracy against Siddaramaiah, who is serving as Chief Minister for the second time,” Shivakumar told reporters, accusing the BJP of using the Governor’s office to destabilize the state government.
Karnataka Minister Krishna Byregowda also criticized the Governor’s procedure as “completely illegal,” emphasizing that the government would fight the allegations on all fronts.
As the political battle intensifies in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah remains defiant, insisting on his innocence and rallying support from his party to combat what he views as politically motivated charges.
