Ready to fight legally and politically on Guv's possible nod for prosecution: CM Siddaramaiah
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that the Congress government led by him is ready to fight legally and politically, in case Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot rejects the Cabinet's advice to withdraw the "show-cause notice" to him in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam', and grants permission for prosecution.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "We have said that the show-cause notice has to be withdrawn. Also, we have asked for the petition by T J Abraham (activist) seeking permission for prosecution to be rejected. Let's see what decision the Governor takes. He has not made a decision yet."
"We are ready to fight legally...both legally and politically we will fight," he said.
Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, the Governor 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 on Thursday "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.
The council of Ministers after their meeting, had said a concerted effort is being made to destabilise a lawfully elected majority government in Karnataka for political considerations.
Earlier today, in Bengaluru, Home Minister G Parameshwara expressed hope that the Governor will not reject the Cabinet's advice to withdraw his "show-cause notice" to the chief minister.
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He said, in case the Governor rejects the Cabinet's advice and grants permission for prosecution against the CM, the Congress government will fight it legally.
"As a Cabinet we have advised the Governor to withdraw his show-cause notice and to reject the petition seeking Siddaramaiah's prosecution by activist T J Abraham. I'm hopeful and don't feel that the Governor will do it (sanction prosecution), despite the Cabinet's advice along with facts," Parameshwara said.
"He (the Governor) might have some powers, but I don't feel that he will reject the advice of the Cabinet so easily. In case he still goes ahead and gives permission for prosecution, we will fight legally," the Home Minister told reporters.
The BJP and JD(S) are on a week-long 'Mysuru Chalo' padayatre (foot march) since Saturday against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites by MUDA to those who lost land to other development projects, including to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi, and are demanding his resignation.
The Congress would unitedly fight against the BJP and JD(S)'s attempts to "destabilise" the Siddaramaiah government, the party said on Sunday, backing its chief minister, who is on the opposition's radar.
Congress said this after its general secretary in-charge of organisation K C Venugopal held a meeting with state ministers, along with AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Randeep Singh Surjewala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and his deputy D K Shivakumar, who is also the party's Karnataka unit chief.
Venugopal said the ministers have been told to visit districts and assembly constituencies and explain to the people how the BJP was trying to "destabilise" the government and end the guarantee schemes.
According to party sources, Venugopal and Surjewala are said to have asked the ministers to strongly stand behind the CM and defend him, while also effectively countering the opposition.
Also, indicating the possible scenario where the government may have to legally fight the Governor if prosecution against the chief minister is sanctioned in connection with the MUDA "scam", they assured the high command's support, the sources added.
In the MUDA 'scam', it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi 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.
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.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.
BJP leaders have claimed that the MUDA "scam" is of the magnitude of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.
The Congress government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the MUDA 'scam'.
Siddaramaiah along with Shivakumar last week had met Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala in New Delhi and held discussions.
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US warns shipping firms they could face sanctions over paying Iranian tolls in Strait of Hormuz
Dubai (AP): The United States is warning shipping companies that they could face sanctions for making payments to Iran to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The alert posted Friday by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control adds another layer of pressure in the standoff between the US and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
About a fifth of the world's trade in oil and natural gas typically passes through the strait at the mouth of the Persian Gulf in peacetime.
Iran effectively closed the strait to normal traffic by attacking and threatening to attack ships after the US and Israel launched a war on Feb. 28. It later began offering some ships safe passage by detouring them through alternate routes closer to its shoreline, charging fees at times for the service.
That "tollbooth” effort is the focus of the US sanctions warning.
The payment demands could include transfers not only in cash but also “digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments,” including chartibale donations and payments at Iranian embassies, OFAC said.
“OFAC is issuing this alert to warn US and non-US persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage. These risks exist regardless of payment method,” it said.
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The US responded to Iran's closure of the strait with a naval blockade of its own on April 13, preventing any Iranian tankers from leaving and depriving Iran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.
The US Central Command said 45 commercial ships have been told to turn around since the blockade began.
Trump rejects Iranian proposal
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The warning came as US President Donald Trump swiftly rejected Iran's latest proposal to end the war between the countries.
“They want to make a deal, I'm not satisfied with it, so we'll see what happens,” Trump said Friday at the White House. He didn't elaborate on what he saw as its shortcomings but expressed frustration with the Iranian leadership.
“It's a very disjointed leadership,” Trump said. “They all want to make a deal, but they're all messed up.”
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported Iran handed over its plan to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night.
The shaky three-week ceasefire between the US and Iran appears to be holding, though both countries have traded accusations of violations. The standoff is increasingly putting pressure on the global economy, driving up prices and leading to shortages of fuel and other products tied to the oil industry.
Negotiations continued by phone after Trump called off his envoys' trip to Pakistan last week, the president said. Trump this week floated a new plan to reopen the critical passageway used by America's Gulf allies to export their oil and gas.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has briefed many of his regional counterparts on the country's initiatives to end the ear, according to his social media. He also held talks Friday with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who is in contact with the EU's Gulf partners.
China's UN envoy urges Iran to lift restrictions
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Fu Cong, the Chinese ambassdor to the United Nations, said Friday that maintaining the ceasefire is “the most urgent issue" as well as bringing together the sides to resume good faith negotiations “to make sure that the ground is laid for reopening of Hormuz.”
Foreign Minister Wang Yi “has been on the phone almost constantly” with representatives from all sides, Fu said, adding that China supports Pakistan's efforts to mediate between the parties.
Fu stressed the root cause of the tremendous suffering in Iran and neighboring countries and the growing turmoil in the global economy, especially in developing countries, “is the illegitimate war by the US and Israel.
