'I have done no wrong to resign': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Guv's sanction to prosecute him
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday ruled out his resignation, following the Governor granting sanction to prosecute him, in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam', and said he had done no wrong to step down.
Terming Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's decision as "anti-Constitution and against law", he said. It will be questioned in court and that he will battle it out legally.
"It is a big conspiracy to dislodge the elected government. They (BJP) have done this in several states including Delhi, Jharkhand. A conspiracy has been designed to destabilise the elected government in Karnataka also. The Central government, BJP, JD(S) and others are involved in this conspiracy," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
"High command (of Congress) is with me, the entire Cabinet and the government is with me. All Congress MLAs, MLCs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members are with me....I have done no wrong to resign," he asserted.
ALSO READ: BJP seeks Siddaramaiah's resignation for impartial probe against him in MUDA 'scam'
Accusing the opposition of wrong doings and behaving illegally and anti-Constitutionally, he further said, "They are using Raj Bhavan as a political pawn. The Governor is functioning like a puppet in the hands of the Central government."
The Governor has accorded sanction against the Chief Minister under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions of Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna.
Stating that such a decision by the Governor was expected, Siddaramaiah said, "We had expected this, I too had expected this. When the Governor on July 26, the very day he received the petition, issued me a show cause notice. What does it mean?"
He said, "There has been a petition seeking sanction for prosecution against JD(S) leader (now Union Minister) H D Kumaraswamy since November, also there are petitions against former BJP Ministers Shahshikala Jolle, Murugesh Nirani, and Janardhana Reddy. Leaving all of them, if the notice was issued to me, what does it mean?"
"In November, sanction was sought against Kumaraswamy (also former CM) by Lokayukta in an alleged case regarding issue of mining licences, after an inquiry. He was not issued a notice. What does it mean -- that the notice is issued to me (by the Governor)? It is a big conspiracy," he added.
Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, Governor 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.
The Karnataka government had on August 1 "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. It had also advised him to reject the said application by denying prior approval and sanction as requested by the petitioner Abraham.
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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.
