MUDA ''scam'': CM Siddaramaiah rejects BJP's demand for CBI probe, says it's a "non-issue"
Mysuru (Karnataka), Jul 10: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday rejected BJP's demand for a CBI probe into the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which involves plots given to his wife Parvathi.
He accused the BJP of politicising a "non-issue."
The Chief Minister was reacting to BJP state President B Y Vijayendra announcing earlier in the day that a "mega" protest would be staged in Mysuru -- Siddaramaiah's home district -- on July 12 in connection with the alleged "scam".
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.
ALSO READ: MUDA ''scam'': BJP to hold "mega" protest in home district of CM on July 12, demands his resignation
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.
"There are two issues, one is -- in October itself MUDA was told not to give sites under the 50:50 ratio scheme, but despite that sites were given regarding which investigation is on by two IAS officers. And based on it action will be taken. Second is -- they (BJP) want to make the sites given to my wife an issue, it is not at all an issue. It is not an issue at all," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
"Did we seek for sites to be given in Vijayanagar? We haven't. Our land was illegally taken over. What will you do if your land is taken over? Won't you claim? That's what has happened here. We sought compensation for our land that was taken over, they (MUDA) gave in Vijayanagar, and they have accepted at the meeting that illegal take-over of our land was wrong."
Terming BJP's proposed protest as "political", the Chief Minister said if they raise the issue in the Legislative Assembly, "we will respond to it".
On BJP demanding a CBI probe, he said: "Can't our police probe? What are our police for? I have given several cases to CBI during our government, have they (BJP) given any case while in power? CBI Director Praveen Sood was DGP in Karnataka, our police have capability to investigate."
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Another Mpox case reported in Kerala
The Kerala health department on Friday said another Mpox case was reported in the state and urged those who have symptoms to seek treatment.
The southern state had reported the country's first confirmed case of the new strain earlier this week.
A high-level evaluation meeting was held on Friday to evaluate the situation, the state health department said.
State Health Minister Veena George said the contact list of the patient has been prepared and the preventive measures have been taken.
The minister urged everyone who reached the state from abroad to approach the health department in case of any symptoms and seek treatment.
"Isolation facilities have been arranged in all the districts," the minister said in a statement.
On September 23, the health department had announced plans to release revised guidelines for the prevention and treatment of Mpox.
George had said that instructions were issued to take necessary action if the number of cases increases.
Official sources in New Delhi had earlier said that India had reported the first case of the Mpox strain in a patient from Kerala who tested positive.
They had said that the Clade 1b strain was detected in a 38-year-old man from Malappuram district who had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates.
Since the WHO's 2022 declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, 30 cases have been reported in India.
Mpox infections are generally self-limiting, lasting between two and four weeks, and patients usually recover with supportive medical care and management.
It is transmitted through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient.
Mpox typically manifests itself with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.
