Cong will politically counter opposition's foot march to Mysuru over MUDA 'scam': CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru, Jul 29: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the ruling Congress will "face politically" opposition BJP and JD(S)' week-long foot march from Bengaluru to Mysuru from August three in protest against the alleged scam in allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to his wife Parvathi, and financial irregularities in a state-run corporation.
Home Minister G Parameshwara said the police will not give permission for the foot march officially, but will also not stop them.
"We will face it politically...What is there in MUDA to put a black spot on me? I have already formed a judicial commission to probe into it. Have they (opposition) ever formed a judicial commission during their tenure? There is no fault on my part, still, as there should be no suspicion in the minds of the people, a judicial commission has been formed," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
Asked whether he was "dejected" over the issue, he said: "why should I be dejected? If I committed a mistake, I would be dejected; when I have committed no wrong, why should I be dejected?"
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"BJP is expert in blackmailing, lying and making lies the truth," the Chief Minister further alleged, and said: "What ideology do they (BJP) have? They are against social justice, secularism, democracy and the constitution. On the other hand JD(S)' Kumaraswamy speaks so much, in 1984 he had taken a site and possession certificate, and then applied for an alternative site. How many sites (H D) Deve Gowda had got for his family members in the past?"
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said: "We will not give permission for the 'padayatre' (foot march), let them (BJP-JDS) do it, we won't say no, but the police department will not officially give any permission."
He said: "Let them protest. There will be several legal matters so we don't give permission. Even we were not given when we held the padayatre (When BJP was in power). We did it too (without permission). We won't stop them...we will facilitate and ensure no problem happens to them."
Asked whether the Congress is making any plans to counter the opposition's foot march, Parameshwara said the party state president D K Shivakumar is preparing a strategy.
"We will have to counter it. They are doing politics, so we too will have to do politics. We will do it from the party, not by using the government ," he said, pointing out that the inquiry commission has already been formed.
It is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
Several supporters of Siddaramaiah too have allegedly "benefitted this way," BJP leaders alleged.
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.
The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.
The government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the charges.
Regarding the alleged financial irregularities in the state-run Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, Siddaramaiah, while admitting that there is a scam, claimed that false allegations are also being made by the opposition against his government.
"It is true that there is a scam, but not Rs 187 crore, it is Rs 84.63 crore. Who has done it ? for that SIT probe is on. Also CBI and ED are also probing," he said. "Didn't corruption take place during their (BJP) tenure? I have listed 21 scams during their period, inquiry is on in some cases," the Chief Minister said.
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BS Yediyurappa appeals to MLA Yatnal's group to work unitedly to strengthen party
Bengaluru, Nov 26: With a group of Karnataka BJP leaders led by Bijapur MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal holding a parallel agitation over the waqf issue, veteran party leader B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday accused them of doing it because of their "self-conceit", and appealed them to work unitedly to strengthen the party.
The former Karnataka chief minister also said that everyone should take the responsibility for the party's defeat in the Assembly bypolls for three segments, even as the BJP's performance is being seen as a "setback" for his son and state president B Y Vijayendra.
"State president B Y Vijayendra has appealed to Basangouda Patil Yatnal and others to stop protesting separately, and work with us unitedly. Despite this, because of their self-conceit, they are doing such things. It is not right on their part," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I appeal to them at least now to come forward and cooperate to strengthen the party together."
When told that they are not willing to work unitedly with the state's current leadership of the party and whether he will bring it to the notice of the high command, Yediyurappa said, "We will do our duty. The rest is left to them and central leadership...high command knows everything. Let's see what they will do."
Yatnal-led group include BJP MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, B P Harish, and former lawmakers Aravind Limbavali, Kumar Bangarappa and G M Siddeshwara and others.
The leaders, who had stayed away from the protest recently held by the party on the Waqf issue, on Monday held a parallel agitation over the issue in Bidar. Today, they are in Kalaburagi district.
Yatnal and Jarkiholi have been openly critical of Vijayendra, accusing him of indulging in "adjustment politics" with the ruling Congress, and trying to keep the party in his clutches along with his father Yediyurappa.
Noting that the party had faced a setback in the bypolls for Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna, Yediyurappa said, "We accept that. What shortcomings were being discussed in the party. It should be ensured that such things don't repeat."
To a question whether the bypoll loss is being seen as a setback to his son Vijayendra, he said, "It is not a question of Vijayendra or Yediyurappa. The loss in all the three seats is a setback for us (party). Everyone should take the responsibility and see to it that such things don't repeat."
