MUDA row: Karnataka governor approves trial for CM Siddaramaiah in land allotment allegations
MUDA row: Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has granted permission to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scandal. This decision has sparked significant controversy, with Siddaramaiah denouncing it as unconstitutional and accusing the Governor of acting as a puppet for the central government. He plans to challenge the decision legally.
The case centers on allegations that Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, received compensatory plots in a premium area of Mysuru following the acquisition of her land by MUDA. These plots, according to the allegations, were valued higher than the land she had originally given up.
The Governor’s sanction has ignited a political clash. The Congress party claims that the decision is an attempt to destabilize their government, while the BJP has called for Siddaramaiah’s resignation to facilitate an impartial investigation. BJP leaders argue that his resignation would allow for a transparent probe into the allegations of corruption.
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Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar have accused the NDA government of misusing the Governor’s office to undermine non-BJP administrations, referencing similar issues in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
They assert that Siddaramaiah will remain in office despite these challenges. Shivakumar further criticized the Governor for proceeding without a preliminary investigation, noting that similar requests for prosecution permissions in other high-profile cases are still pending.
BJP chief JP Nadda has seized the opportunity to criticize Congress, highlighting the alleged corruption in the MUDA case and linking it to the party’s broader history of corruption. He claims that Congress's claim to be a defender of marginalized communities is undermined by these allegations.
Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra has emphasized the need for Siddaramaiah’s resignation to ensure an unbiased investigation, citing substantial evidence and serious allegations of corruption.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra and Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya dismissed Congress's claims that the sanction was politically motivated. They asserted that the MUDA scandal involves substantial financial impropriety, with allegations that Parvathi Siddaramaiah received compensation worth several crores through prime plots allocated to her. Patra argued that the value of these plots significantly exceeded the actual compensation amount, further implicating Siddaramaiah and his family in the controversy.
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- With inputs from agencies
