ED action in MUDA scam: BJP demands Siddaramaiah to step down
Bengaluru: The BJP on Saturday demanded that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah step down immediately in the backdrop of the ED attaching 142 MUDA units of immovable assets.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday provisionally attached 142 immovable properties, with a market value of about Rs 300 crore, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a case involving Siddaramaiah and others.
The ED stated that the attached properties are registered under the names of various individuals working as real estate businessmen and agents.
"If CM @siddaramaiah values the integrity of his office, he must step down immediately and allow an impartial probe to proceed. The people of Karnataka deserve transparency, accountability, and justice," BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said in a post on 'X'.
The Shikaripura MLA described the development as a significant victory in the fight against the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam.
Explaining the MUDA scam, the ED alleged, "Siddaramaiah used his political influence to secure compensation of 14 sites (plots) in his wife B M Parvathi's name in exchange for 3 acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by MUDA. The land was originally acquired by MUDA for Rs 3,24,700, while the compensation—14 sites in a posh locality—is worth approximately Rs 56 crore."
The ED added that former MUDA commissioner D B Natesh played a key role in the illegal allotment of compensation sites to Parvathi.
Vijayendra claimed that the ED's investigation had exposed significant corruption, with Siddaramaiah allegedly misusing his political influence to allocate sites illegally in his wife's name.
"The allocation of sites to 'benamis' and proxies of influential individuals further highlights systemic corruption," he alleged.
When Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sanctioned Siddaramaiah's prosecution, "the Congress spared no effort in insulting and undermining the constitutional authority of the Governor," Vijayendra added.
He pointed out that the Karnataka High Court upheld the Governor's decision, emphasizing that allegations against the Chief Minister's family warranted deeper investigation.
Hailing the ED, Vijayendra said the investigation agency "thwarted any malicious attempt by CM Siddaramaiah to subvert the investigation by misusing government machinery."
The BJP leader added that the saffron party and its ally JD(S) have consistently protested, both within and outside the Assembly, against "this blatant misuse of power by the CM and his associates."
"The ED's findings validate our persistent fight against corruption and reveal that there is more to this than meets the eye. This is also a slap on those who derided our anti-corruption campaign," Vijayendra said.
According to him, the ED's revelations represent only the tip of the iceberg.
Vijayendra stated that thousands of crores of public money had been misappropriated in the scam and called for a comprehensive CBI investigation to uncover the full extent of the scandal.
There was no immediate response from the Chief Minister, but his deputy, D K Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, dismissed the BJP's demand.
"There is no need for anyone's resignation or politics. No resignation will be tendered, nor is there any reason to consider it. Let them first address their scams," Shivakumar told reporters.
Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge challenged the BJP to investigate all wrongdoings in Urban Development Authorities over the past 10 to 15 years.
He warned the BJP that digging deeper into these scams might lead to their humiliation.
"We are saying, let them use Income Tax, ED, or any investigative agency. We are also asking them to look into whatever happened in the past 10 to 15 years in all the Urban Development Authorities," Kharge said.
According to him, all actions related to MUDA were conducted as per the law. If there was anything illegal, BJP and JD(S) leaders would also bear responsibility, as they were members of the MUDA Board.
Kharge added, "The Chief Minister has already stated that the party will neither obstruct nor fear any investigation. Send your complaints to whoever you want—CBI, ED, I-T, or the Governor's office. We have no problem."
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K’taka bypolls: Cong accepts Minority dept chief’s resignation amid claims of ‘internal conspiracy’
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Sunday accepted the resignation of party Minority Department chairman K Abdul Jabbar and dissolved the committees constituted under him.
Jabbar announced his resignation on Saturday, a day after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of “conspiring” to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
In his letter to the party, Jabbar said minority voters and office-bearers are the backbone of the Congress and deserve better.
Later, speaking to reporters, he expressed shock at the party office being used by some minority community leaders as a platform to attack senior leaders from the same community.
Jabbar, an MLC, was an aspirant for the Congress ticket from the Davanagere South Assembly segment.
“K Abdul Jabbar has tendered his resignation from the post of chairman, KPCC Minority Department. The resignation has been accepted, and he stands relieved of the post with immediate effect. Further, the KPCC Minority Department committee stands dissolved with immediate effect,” Shivakumar said in a statement.
A rift surfaced within the Karnataka Congress on Friday, a day after bypolls to two Assembly constituencies, as a group of Muslim leaders alleged an “internal conspiracy” by some senior party leaders to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South, where the minority community has a significant presence.
They said the party had named Samarth Mallikarjun as the candidate after considering all factors and taking Muslim leaders into confidence. Despite this, a campaign—allegedly involving some within the party—projected the Congress as having “betrayed” minorities by denying them the ticket.
Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, MLAs Rizwan Arshad and Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, MLC Bilkis Bano and other leaders addressed a joint press conference on Friday, alleging an “internal conspiracy”.
Though the leaders did not name anyone, party sources said their remarks were directed at State Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Jabbar, and MLC and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Naseer Ahmed.
Khan, who had openly demanded the Davanagere South ticket for a Muslim candidate, initially stayed away from campaigning in the constituency, citing commitments related to the Kerala polls. However, he later addressed a press meet with Samarth’s father and Minister S S Mallikarjun at the request of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Jabbar, too, had not actively participated in campaigning, despite hailing from Davanagere.
Meanwhile, MLA Arshad said on Sunday that the party leadership was aware of those who allegedly tried to divide Congress votes and help the BJP. “But, thankfully, none of this has had any impact, and the Congress candidate will win,” he said.
He also alleged that Muslims lost the Davanagere South ticket because some senior minority leaders demanded it exclusively for Jabbar, rather than for any other eligible candidate from the community, despite Jabbar not being acceptable to all.
“Some leaders in the Congress think they are the only voice of the minority community and that there is no one else,” said Arshad, who represents the Shivajinagar constituency in Bengaluru.
Bypolls for Davanagere South and Bagalkot were held on Thursday. The elections were necessitated following the deaths of sitting MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, respectively. Samarth is the grandson of Shivashankarappa.
Muslim disgruntlement appears to be a concern for the Congress in Davanagere South. With 14 of the 25 candidates in the fray belonging to the community, the party fears a split in votes that could benefit the BJP.
Given its significant presence in the constituency, the Muslim community had strongly demanded the Congress ticket. Some party factions had opposed giving it to the Shamanur family.
Although the Congress persuaded rebel candidate Sadiq Pailwan to withdraw, he remained in the fray as the move came after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.
