Karnataka govt forms inquiry commission into MUDA scam
Bengaluru, Jul 14: The Karnataka government on Sunday ordered the formation of an inquiry commission into the alleged alternative site scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
According to the order, High Court judge (retd) Justice P N Desai will head the single-member commission.
The commission will be required to complete the inquiry and submit its report to the state government within six months.
The departments concerned and the MUDA officials will have to cooperate with the investigation by providing the necessary documents and information to Justice Desai, the order said.
The government passed the order late Sunday night ahead of the Legislature session, which will start on July 15 and culminate on July 26.
ALSO READ: MUDA 'scam': HD Kumaraswamy accuses CM Siddaramaiah of 'misuse of power'
The scam gathered steam after the BJP alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi was one of the beneficiaries of alternative sites (plots).
Siddaramaiah categorically rejected the allegation and claimed that MUDA "illegally" took over the four acres land belonging to his wife and formed a layout without her permission.
The CM said MUDA compensated them by providing them alternative plots.
The BJP has raised doubts about the claim saying how can MUDA touch such a "high profile" property.
The party has pegged the size of the scam somewhere around Rs 3,000 crore.
The BJP staged a demonstration over the matter in Mysuru on Friday.
ಮುಡಾ ನಿವೇಶನ ಹಂಚಿಕೆಯ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಆರೋಪಗಳು ಕೇಳಿ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದು, ಈ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪಾರದರ್ಶಕ ಮತ್ತು ನಿಷ್ಪಕ್ಷಪಾತ ತನಿಖೆ ನಡೆಸಬೇಕೆಂಬ ಆಶಯದೊಂದಿಗೆ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರವು ಮಾನ್ಯ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಉಚ್ಚ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಲಯದ ನಿವೃತ್ತ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಧೀಶರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ ಪಿ ಎನ್ ದೇಸಾಯಿ ಅವರ ನೇತೃತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಏಕ ಸದಸ್ಯ ವಿಚಾರಣಾ ಆಯೋಗವನ್ನು ರಚಿಸಿ ತನಿಖೆಗೆ ವಹಿಸಿದೆ.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 14, 2024
ಪ್ರಕರಣದ… pic.twitter.com/UmiUQ8V8wZ
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Modi says 'don't go abroad,' but flies off on trips himself: Mann's jibe at PM
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his appeal to people to postpone foreign travels when he himself did not stop going abroad.
Modi on Sunday in his address to the nation called for judicious use of fuel, postponing gold purchases and foreign travel due to the West Asia crisis. He urged the people to use the metro, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles and working from home to conserve foreign exchange.
Speaking to reporters here, Mann said, "First, the prime minister should stop his foreign visits. Where is he now? He has gone to the Netherlands. He will visit 3-4 more countries. He has asked people to avoid but he still went (on foreign visits). You are shutting down everything... do not buy gold, do not undertake foreign visits, work from home."
He asked, "Why doesn't the PM work from home?"
The Punjab chief minister also took on the BJP-led Centre for increasing prices of petrol and diesel.
"We were to become 'vishwaguru' but we have become 'vishwachele'. The war is happening somewhere else but restrictions are being imposed here. Why has no other country implemented it (restrictions)?" he asked.
Mann said people across the country are struggling with inflation, rising transport costs and increasing household expenditure, but instead of providing relief, the Centre is asking citizens to reduce personal spending.
"Thankfully, the PM only advised people to save money and didn't ask them to beat 'thalis' and clap again," he said in a dig.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader asserted that instead of symbolic gestures and lectures, people expect practical steps to control inflation and reduce the financial burden on households, farmers and small businesses.
Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by Rs 3 per litre each on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses to fuel retailers due to surging global crude prices.
Modi has reduced the size of his convoy, prompting several BJP chief ministers and other leaders to adopt similar measures.
The prime minister is on a six-day tour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy to discuss bilateral ties.
Meanwhile, on the Bhakra water-sharing issue, Mann asserted that Punjab will preserve its water rights at every cost. He said Haryana would receive water strictly according to its legally scheduled quota and not before the stipulated timeline.
"Punjab will not compromise on its water rights under any pressure," he said. The chief minister said water is an emotional, economic and agricultural lifeline for Punjab and his government is fully committed to protecting every drop.
Punjab has no spare water to share with any other state, he said.
To a question on the upcoming local body polls, Mann said his party will be victorious.
Mann praised his government's work on the job and infrastructure front, and attacked Shiromani Akali Dal, claiming that the party steadily lost both public support and credibility due to years of political decline and disconnect from people's aspirations.
Akalis no longer command the trust they once enjoyed among Punjabis, he said.
