Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy criticizes Cabinet decision opposing CBI probe in Karnataka
Bengaluru: Slamming Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the Karnataka Cabinet decision to withdraw consent for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct criminal investigations in the state, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has said that the decision proves the CM to be guilty in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) illegal land acquisition scam.
Posting his opinion in sharp words on his personal ‘X’ account on Friday, Kumaraswamy called the decision also an outcome of Siddaramaiah’s changing colours and said mockingly, “You earlier halted the Lokayukta investigation and got an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) formed to prevent your involvement in scams from coming to light. Today, however, to save your skin in the MUDA scam, you have no help left except the Lokayukta.”
ALSO READ: FIR filed against CM Siddaramaiah in Mysuru Urban Development Authority case
The Minister also called it a situation of facing the fruits of one’s own actions. “Is this not merely a case of ‘Karma Hit Back’? Unfortunately for you, the High Court has stalled the ACB from coming to your help. Now, you have nowhere to go for help but the Lokayukta. Your Cabinet, therefore, is stopping the CBI from conducting a probe in the state. This is proof that the suspect in the case is indeed the guilty party,” Kumaraswamy has said critically in his post.
Opining in his post that Siddaramaiah was not excessively brave, as Kumaraswamy himself had assumed, but certainly had his own share of fears, the minister called it an impact of the power of the law.
ಶ್ರೀಮಾನ್ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯನವರೇ..
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 27, 2024
ನಿಮ್ಮ 'ಸಿದ್ವಿಲಾಸ'ಕ್ಕೆ ಉಘೇಉಘೇ ಎನ್ನಲೇಬೇಕು.
ಅಂದು: ಹಗರಣಗಳಿಂದ ಪಾರಾಗಲು ಲೋಕಾಯುಕ್ತಕ್ಕೇ ಸಮಾಧಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿ ಎಸಿಬಿ ರಚನೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡಿರಿ!
ಇಂದು: ಮೂಡಾಗರಣದಿಂದ ಬಚಾವಾಗಲು ನಿಮಗೀಗ ಅದೇ ಲೋಕಾಯುಕ್ತವೇsss ಗತಿ!!
Karma Hit back ಎಂದರೇ ಇದೇ ಅಲ್ಲವೇ @siddaramaiah ನವರೇ?
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಗ್ರಹಚಾರಕ್ಕೆ…
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
