Siddaramaiah dares PM Modi to name one BJP leader in Karnataka without corruption charges
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued an open challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to engage in a direct discussion on corruption. This comes in response to allegations made by the Prime Minister during a rally, where he accused Siddaramaiah of involvement in a land scam related to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
Siddaramaiah, in a strongly worded response, accused the BJP of orchestrating a conspiracy against him and questioned PM Modi's right to speak on corruption. He pointed out that several BJP leaders in Karnataka have faced corruption charges, yet remain in the party without any repercussions. "Prime Minister @NarendraModi, who is accused by his own party leaders of auctioning off the Chief Minister's post for Rs 2,500 crore, has no moral right to speak about corruption!" Siddaramaiah wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
The controversy began after PM Modi, during a rally in Sonipat, Haryana, brought up the MUDA scam and accused the Congress of misappropriating funds meant for Dalits, calling the party "the most corrupt in the nation." The Karnataka High Court had recently upheld investigation orders into the scam, which prompted Modi's remarks.
In response, Siddaramaiah criticized the BJP's approach to corruption, accusing the party of practicing "washing machine politics," where opposition leaders facing corruption charges are allegedly cleansed of their past once they join the BJP. "Mr. Modi, I'm glad you're finally addressing corruption. But the people of Karnataka know who the real culprits are. If you're ready for a direct debate, I'm always ready," he stated.
Siddaramaiah further highlighted that over 25 opposition leaders accused of corruption have joined the BJP since 2014, with 23 of them being cleared by central agencies afterward. He questioned the integrity of such actions, referencing several prominent leaders like Himanta Biswa Sarma, Suvendu Adhikari, and Ajit Pawar, who joined the BJP and were allegedly absolved of their charges.
The Chief Minister's remarks came shortly after a special court directed the Karnataka Lokayukta to investigate Siddaramaiah regarding alleged irregularities in the MUDA scam. The case involves accusations that compensatory plots were allocated to Siddaramaiah's wife, BM Parvathi, in a prime area of Mysuru, where the land's value was significantly higher than that acquired by MUDA. Under a 50:50 scheme, MUDA had granted plots to Parvathi in exchange for 3.16 acres of her land, where a residential layout was later developed.
Siddaramaiah also took a jab at the BJP's inclusion of leaders like HD Kumaraswamy in the Union Cabinet despite serious corruption allegations. He questioned the silence of the Honorable Governor on the Lokayukta’s request to prosecute Kumaraswamy, asking, "Why is the Governor ignoring this request? Who is putting pressure on him, Mr. Modi?"
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Hezbollah fires over 180 rockets, other projectiles into Israel, wounding at least 7
Beirut, Nov 24: Hezbollah fired at least 185 rockets and other projectiles into Israel on Sunday, wounding seven people in the group's heaviest barrage in several days, in response to deadly Israeli strikes in Beirut while negotiators pressed on with cease-fire efforts to halt the all-out war.
Meanwhile, an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army centre killed one soldier and wounded 18 others on the southwestern coastal road between Tyre and Naqoura, Lebanon's military said. Israel's military expressed regret and said the strike occurred in an area of combat against Hezbollah, adding that its operations are directed solely against the Hezbollah group. The strike was under review.
Israeli strikes have killed over 40 Lebanese troops since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, even as Lebanon's military has largely kept to the sidelines.
Lebanon's caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the latest strike as an assault on US-led cease-fire efforts, calling it a “direct, bloody message rejecting all efforts and ongoing contacts” to end the war.
