BJP seeks Siddaramaiah's resignation for impartial probe against him in MUDA 'scam'
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Saturday asked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step down from his post to ensure an impartial probe into his alleged role in the MUDA site allotment "scam" as it welcomed the governor's decision to sanction his prosecution in the case.
BJP MPs Sambit Patra and Tejasvi Surya, at a press conference, rejected the Congress' allegation that Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's decision was motivated by politics and claimed that it was a serious case of corruption involving Siddaramaiah and his family.
Taking a swipe at Mallikarjun Kharge, Patra said the Congress president went to Bengaluru to "protect" the Karnataka chief minister and wondered when will he go to Kolkata which is witnessing massive protests against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at a West Bengal government-run medical college and hospital.
Surya said the Karnataka government has constituted two commissions, one headed by an ex-IAS officer and another by a former high court judge, to look into the allegations of corruption.
It was an acknowledgement of irregularity, said the BJP MP from Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency.
In the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) 'scam', it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru that had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by MUDA.
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.
Giving details of the alleged scam, Surya claimed the Karnataka chief minister's wife was allocated 14 prime upmarket sites in Mysuru in compensation for a parcel of rural land which was first bought by their son-in-law from its original owner and then gifted to her.
Siddaramaiah was first a deputy chief minister and then chief minister when decisions were taken related to the land, while his son was a member of the Mysuru body which made the allotment, he claimed.
Surya said any state probe agency reporting to the chief minister is unlikely to carry out a fair probe into the matter as he demanded Siddaramaiah's resignation.
It is a scam like the National Heard case and the suspected hanky-panky in the allotment of land to Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, he alleged.
Patra claimed that the entire "scam" runs into Rs 4,000 crore, adding mockingly that Congress leaders do not commit any scam less thousands of crore.
The alleged National Herald scam in which Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are the main accused is worth Rs 5,000 crore, he said.
Governors used to sit over such files due to political compulsions but the corrupt will not be spared under the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Patra said.
Karnataka Governor Gehlot on Saturday granted sanction for the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the MUDA site allotment "scam".
Siddaramaiah has repeatedly said that the Congress government led by him is ready to fight legally and politically, in case the Governor rejects the Cabinet's advice to withdraw the "show cause notice" to him, and grants permission for prosecution.
Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, Gehlot had issued a "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.
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K'taka Cong to protest against replacing MGNREGA, 'hate politics' in National Herald case
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the ruling Congress in the state will hold protests against the central government's move to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and the alleged "hate politics" against the party leadership in the National Herald case on December 17.
The state Congress president said that the protest led by him and CM Siddaramaiah will be held in front of Gandhi state at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, and similar protests will also be held at all district and taluka centres of the state.
The party also plans to raise the issues in the state legislature here.
"The agitation has become necessary. Tomorrow at 9.30 am, the chief minister, myself, all ministers, MLAs and MLCs will stage a protest in front of the Gandhi statue. Everyone will participate," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the protests will also be held in all district and taluk centres including Bengaluru, and there is also a plan for a programme on Saturday, details of which will be shared later.
"In Assembly too there is a need to discuss this and for it to go into records, we are making preparations for it....the protest is against removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from MGNREGA, and against the hate politics towards Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders," he added.
The Congress' move, came as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
Also, a court in Delhi on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
Alleging that Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were "harassed" in connection with the National Herald case, Shivakumar said several people, including him, had given funds to help the party related organisation, and they too were being troubled.
"My brother D K Suresh (former MP) and I were supposed to appear before the Delhi police in connection with the National Herald case. We had written a letter to them seeking a FIR copy. Chargesheet was filed by ED in the case without an FIR," he claimed.
Pointing to the Delhi Court's decision, the Deputy CM said, "This is proof that the legal system in the country is still alive. This also proves that the power is being misused (by those in the central government) to harass political opponents."
Highlighting that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru started the National Herald in 1937, and that it is Congress' property, Shivakumar, questioning the validity of the ED case, said, "As Congress presidents (in past) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had their shares, it was not their own. Similarly, if we as Congress workers don't donate to the party organisation, who else will?"
Shivakumar also said that the move to rename MNREGA is with an intention to "insult" Gandhi and to weaken the scheme by reducing its funding.
