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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Dhyan Chand lifetime award to be replaced by Arjuna lifetime
New Delhi, Oct 24: The sports ministry on Thursday announced the discontinuation of the Dhyan Chand Award for lifetime achievement from this year onwards and the introduction of the Arjuna Award Lifetime in its place in a bid to "rationalise" the various sporting honours of the country.
Instituted in 2002, the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award, named after hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand, is given to individuals in disciplines that are part of the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, among others.
In 2023, the award was given to former shuttler Manjusha Kanwar, ex-hockey exponent Vineet Kumar and kabaddi player Kavitha Selvaraj.
"The various schemes for sports awards have been rationalised wherein Arjuna Award (Lifetime) has been introduced in place of Dhyan Chand Award. To recognise the efforts of coaches at grassroots/development level, they are now eligible for the Dronacharya Award," said a ministry statement.
"The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) has been introduced and will be given for life time contribution to sports development.
"Further, to recognize the Khelo India scheme, the Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy will be given to the University for Overall Top Performance in Khelo India University Games," it added.
The last date for applying for the national sports awards for 2024 is November 14.
