"I am being targeted as opposition is scared of me," says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday claimed he was being targeted in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case as the opposition is "scared" of him and said it's the first such "political case" against him.
The Chief Minister reiterated that he won't resign following the court ordering a probe against him in the case as he has done no wrong and asserted that he would fight the case legally.
Accusing the central government of misusing central agencies like CBI, ED and also the office of the Governor in the opposition-ruled states across the country, he said there was a need for a national debate on Governors' "interference" in administration.
"I have done no wrong. This is for the first time a political case is being registered against me. This is a political case, please underline," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
Asked as to why he is being targeted, he said, "because they (opposition) are afraid of me."
Siddaramaiah arrived here on a three-day visit to a rousing welcome by party workers and supporters, even as the Lokayukta police appeared set to register an FIR against him following the Special Court order in connection with the case.
A Special Court in Bengaluru on Wednesday ordered a Lokayukta police probe against Siddaramaiah in the case, setting the stage for filing of an FIR against him.
The order of the Special Court Judge, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, came a day after the High Court upheld the sanction granted by the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife B M Parvathi by MUDA.
The Special Court exclusively to deal with criminal cases related to former and elected MPs/MLAs issued the order directing the Lokayukta police in Mysuru to initiate an investigation on the complaint filed by RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna.
Regarding BJP holding protests demanding his resignation, the CM said, "why should I resign? If one has committed wrong he has to resign, when we are saying that no wrong was done, where is the question of resigning?"
Questioning JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah said: "He is on bail after FIR, why hasn't he resigned? He is a Minister in Narendra Modi's government."
Asked as to why he is being targeted, Siddaramaiah said: "it is politics, it is being done to destabilise the Congress government", and asserted that he will fight the charges against him legally.
Siddaramaiah, in response to a question regarding functioning of Governors in various states and whether there was a need for a "national campaign against it", said: "There should be a national debate. Governors should not interfere in the administration. That is what the Constitution says."
Whether President or Governors, they function in accordance with the Constitution, he said. "Governors are nominated, they are not elected by the people. President and Governors are Constitutional heads at the national and state level respectively and they have to function accordingly. While we (government) are elected by the people, we head the administration."
"People have given us the mandate to administer and develop the state and accordingly we are running the administration," he said, as he alleged that the central government not only in Karnataka, but in opposition-ruled states across the country is misusing CBI, ED and Governor's offices.
Responding to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a dig at him and his government on charges of corruption or misappropriation during the election campaign in Haryana, he said, "....when he was Chief Minister (of Gujarat) Godhra incident had happened, had he resigned then? How many people had died then in the Godhra incident?"
Further alleging that the BJP wants to destabilise Congress government in Karnataka, he said the opposition party failed in its attempts to do 'Operation Kamala' (luring Cong MLAs to topple government), they have never come to power in the state on their own, with the mandate of the people."
Referring to the opposition's claim that he is scared, the CM said: "Am I scared? They are the ones who have committed several wrongs while in office. Show me one person among them who has not indulged in corruption, I will felicitate them. We will never do anything against the Constitution and law. Have never done it and will never do it."
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'Well-planned conspiracy by UP CM Adityanath, BJP-RSS': Cong on Sambhal violence
New Delhi, Nov 24: In the wake of violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the Yogi Adityanath administration is squarely responsible for killing innocents and only the BJP-RSS is guilty of "setting fire" to the peace and harmony there.
The opposition party said the videos of direct firing on the protesters in Sambhal depict the horrifying result of a "well-planned conspiracy" by Adityanath and the BJP-RSS.
Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said Adityanath's administration has once again shown a blatant disregard for communal harmony.
"In this entire matter, the BJP neither wanted the survey to proceed nor to stop it; its sole objective was to destroy harmony," he alleged.
Three people were killed and scores of others, including around 20 security personnel, were injured as the protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque Sambhal clashed with police on Sunday.
"No citizen in Uttar Pradesh is 'safe' under CM Adityanath, who gave the reprehensible slogan of 'Batenge toh Katenge'. This is evident by the highly deplorable incidents of Sambhal today," Khera said in a statement.
The videos of direct firing on the protesters in Sambhal depict the horrifying result of a "well-planned conspiracy" by Adityanath and the BJP-RSS, he alleged.
Western Uttar Pradesh, which has been a symbol of goodwill and harmony for years, has today witnessed three people killed and many injured under a "well-planned conspiracy", the Congress leader said.
"We say with full responsibility that the Adityanath administration is squarely responsible for killing innocents and only the BJP-RSS is guilty of setting fire to the peace and harmony of Sambhal. Modi-Yogi 'double assault' governments, which consider the minority community as second-class citizens, hurriedly got a petition filed in court," Khera said.
It is public knowledge that the court ordered an immediate survey without hearing the other side, he said.
"No action was taken against the rioters who accompanied the survey team. This makes it clear that after the by-elections in the state, the Yogi government has further intensified the politics of violence and hatred," he added.
The Congress leader said that questions are being raised about the role of the police and the administration because many innocent people have lost their lives in this violence and more than two dozen people have been injured.
"Inciting communal hatred and driving a wedge between two communities - is the DNA of BJP-RSS!" Khera said.
"On one hand, there is an empty slogan of 'Ek Hai Toh Safe Hain' - on the other hand, they divide communities! On one hand, there is lie of 'Sabka Saath- Sabka Vishwas' that has been going on for a decade, on the other hand, the minority community is constantly being targeted in Uttar Pradesh," he added.
The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is destroying communal harmony and brotherhood for political gains, which is highly condemnable and objectionable, Khera said.
"We appeal to the BJP to prioritize the nation's interests over their political ambitions," he added.
"We want to ask Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Adityanath whether they will follow the statement of their own Mohan Bhagwat ji in June 2022 (even if it is pretentious!) in which he said that 'History is something that we cannot change. Neither today's Hindus nor today's Muslims made it, it happened at that time.... Why see Shivling in every mosque?.... Now we do not have to do any agitation..?'" Khera said.
"Neither Modi ji, nor Chief Minister Adityanath nor Mohan Bhagwat ji have the answer to this!" he added.
Khera said Rahul Gandhi has been continuously and stridently talked about 'Nafrat Ke Bazaar Mein Mohabbat Ki Dukaan' and in such a situation, an appeal is made to the people of Sambhal to recognise the politics of hatred, maintain mutual unity, amity and harmony, and take steps to protect their rights in a legal manner.
Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said the protesters torched vehicles and pelted stones at the police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob.
"Shots were fired by the miscreants... the PRO of the superintendent of police suffered a gunshot to the leg, the police circle officer was hit by pellets and 15 to 20 security personnel were injured in the violence," he said.
Singh said that a constable also suffered a serious head injury, while the deputy collector fractured his leg.
Internet services have been suspended in Sambhal tehsil for 24 hours and the district administration declared a holiday on November 25 for all students up to Class 12.
Purported images shared on social media showed the protesters pelting stones at cops from atop buildings and in front of the Shahi Jama Masjid. Later, the police personnel were purportedly seen cornering and hitting people as they tried to disperse a large crowd in a narrow alleyway.
Our statement on the tragic and avoidable riots in Sambhal:
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) November 24, 2024
संभल में हुए दुखद एवं परिहार्य दंगों पर कांग्रेस पार्टी का वक्तव्य: pic.twitter.com/uOpKjYbw8g
