BJP-JD(S) continues protest march against MUDA scam, demands CM Siddaramaiah's resignation
Ramanagara (PTI): The opposition, BJP and JD(S), on Monday continued their week-long protest march from Bengaluru to Mysuru for the third day, against an alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam seeking to corner the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The 'Mysuru Chalo' padayatre (foot march) -- against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by MUDA, including to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi, and demanding his resignation -- on its third day, began at Kengal here, and is scheduled to cover a distance of 20 km to reach Nidaghatta in Mandya district.
BJP state president and MLA B Y Vijayendra, Opposition Leader in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, several JD(S) leaders, also legislators, leaders and workers from both parties took part, as the march began at Kengal.
Vijayendra and other BJP leaders paid floral tributes to the memorial of former Chief Minister Kengal Hanumanthaiah, ahead of the march today.
Large number of workers and leaders from both parties were seen marching shouting slogans against CM Siddaramaiah and the Congress government led by him, holding BJP and JD(S) party flags and placards, amidst sounds of drum beats.
The stretch through which the march passed was decked up with flags of both parties, buntings and portraits of prominent leaders at several places.
Kick-started on Saturday at Kengeri near Bengaluru, the march on its first day had covered a distance of 16 km to reach Bidadi, and 22 km on the day two to reach Kengal.
In the MUDA 'scam', it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.
BJP leaders have claimed that the MUDA "scam" is of the magnitude of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.
The Congress government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the MUDA 'scam'.
Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had issued "show-cause notice" on July 26 directing the chief minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days as to why permission for prosecution should not be granted against him.
The Karnataka government on Thursday "strongly advised" the Governor to withdraw his "show-cause notice" to the chief minister, and alleged "gross misuse of the Constitutional Office '' of the Governor.
The council of Ministers, after their meeting, had said a concerted effort is being made to destabilise a lawfully elected majority government in Karnataka for political considerations.
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Unemployment is biggest problem faced by youth, it is directly linked to 'vote chori': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that as long as elections are "stolen", unemployment and corruption will continue to rise, and asserted that young people will no longer tolerate "job theft" and "vote theft".
In a post on X in Hindi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said unemployment is the biggest problem facing youth in India and it is directly linked to "vote chori".
When a government wins public trust and comes to power, its first duty is to provide employment and opportunities to the youth, he said.
"But the BJP doesn't win elections honestly -- they stay in power by stealing votes and controlling institutions," Gandhi alleged.
That's why unemployment has reached a 45-year high, he said.
"That's why jobs are declining, recruitment processes have collapsed, and the future of youth is being jeopardised. That's why every exam paper leak and every recruitment is linked to stories of corruption," Gandhi said.
भारत में युवाओं की सबसे बड़ी समस्या बेरोज़गारी है - और इसका सीधा रिश्ता वोट चोरी से है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 23, 2025
जब कोई सरकार जनता का विश्वास जीतकर सत्ता में आती है, तो उसका पहला कर्तव्य होता है युवाओं को रोज़गार और अवसर देना।
लेकिन BJP चुनाव ईमानदारी से नहीं जीतती - वो वोट चोरी और संस्थाओं को कैद कर… pic.twitter.com/DlDmdYOl5i
"The country's youth work hard, dream, and fight for their future. But (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is solely focused on his PR, getting celebrities to sing praises for him, and billionaire profits. It has become the government's identity to shatter the hopes of the youth and leave them frustrated," the former Congress chief said.
"Now, the situation is changing. India's youth understand that the real fight isn't just for jobs, but against vote theft. Because as long as elections are stolen, unemployment and corruption will continue to rise," he said.
Young people will no longer tolerate "job theft" or "vote theft", Gandhi asserted.
"The ultimate patriotism now lies in freeing India from unemployment and vote theft," he said.
Gandhi also shared a split screen video montage of police lathi-charging protesting students seeking jobs on one half of the screen and Prime Minister Modi planting saplings, feeding peacocks and practising Yoga on the other half of the screen.
