Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah – battling vehement calls to quit over the alleged Mysuru land scam – counterattacked Friday, flagging Janata Dal Secular boss HD Kumaraswamy and asking why his party’s ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, had not demanded his resignation too.

“Which government does HD Kumaraswamy belong to? There is an FIR… why did he not resign? He is a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet,” he said Friday afternoon. Mr Kumaraswamy faces a police case over claims he provided “false information” before the Lok Sabha election.

The JDS boss is currently the Union Heavy Industries Minister. He lost no time in hitting back on X, beginning with a “‘uighe, uighe to your sidvilasa” – which translates roughly as mocking praise.

He pointed to attempts by Siddaramaiah’s earlier government to form an Anti-Corruption Bureau by clipping the state Lokayukta’s wings, and contrasted that with him now trying to ensure the Lokayukta, and not the CBI, a federal agency, conducts inquiries against him.

“Isn’t this karma, Mr Siddaramaiah? ACB was also dismissed by the High Court… and now you have sidelined the Lokayukta and closed the door for the CBI to enter the state…” he jeered, referring to a 2022 verdict that said the then state government could not set up an ACB as a Lokayukta is operating.

Mr. @siddaramaiah..
Ughe Ughe to your ‘Sidvilasa’

Then: To escape from scams, you build a ‘samadhi’ for Lokayukta and formed ACB!

Now: The same Lokayukta is a place you found to get rid of ‘Mudahagaran’!!

Isn’t it Karma Mr siddaramaiah?
ACB was also dismissed by the High Court…

— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 27, 2024

Siddaramaiah’s jab at HD Kumaraswamy underlines the pressure – from the BJP, the JDS, and even by some within his own party – the Chief Minister faces in his battle to retain his post.

READ | “Request…”: Under-Fire Siddaramaiah Faces ‘Quit’ Calls From Within Party

So far, though, he is defiant. On Thursday, after a special court ordered a police case and directed the Lokayukta to finish inquiries in three months, he declared “I am not afraid”.

“I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally,” he said after a second setback in as many days. On Wednesday the High Court had quashed his challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot’s sanction to prosecute a sitting Chief Minister.

READ | “Governor’s Action As Per Law”: Big Setback For Siddaramaiah

The Chief Minister on Thursday also hit out at Mr Modi after the Prime Minister’s sharp comments about the Congress government in Karnataka at a rally in poll-bound Haryana.

Prime Minister @narendramodi, in his usual reckless manner, has claimed there is infighting within the Karnataka Congress. It seems the PM has either misread or deliberately twisted the recent media reports, confusing BJP’s internal chaos with Congress. I demand that he…

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 26, 2024

In a lengthy post on X Siddaramaiah told the PM “don’t throw stones while sitting in a glass house”, pointing to what he said was infighting in his party’s state unit.

MUDA Land Scam Case  

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims his wife, Parvathi, was allotted multiple plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere – an exchange that allegedly cost the state losses of at least Rs 4,000 crore – taken for infrastructure projects.

He has firmly denied the charge; last month he said he had not done anything illegal in a political career of four decades, and expressed confidence the judiciary would absolve him.

READ | “In 40 Years Did Nothing Wrong”: Siddaramaiah Amid Land Scam Row

The Chief Minister, who has been firmly backed by his party; his deputy, DK Shivakumar; and members of his Cabinet, has also, so far, dismissed calls to summon the CBI, insisting the inquiry will be handled by the Mysuru branch of the state Lokayukta.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, his government withdrew general consent for the federal agency in a move many see as a pre-emptive measure in case the High Court orders a CBI probe.

READ | “CBI Biased”: Karnataka Withdraws Permission To Operate In State

The agency now cannot investigate in Karnataka without the state government’s permission.

Law Minister HK Patil refused any link between this move and the land scam allegations facing the Chief Minister, expressing, as many other opposition parties have, “concerns about the misuse of the agency”. “They are biased… that is why are taking this decision,” he said.

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Bengaluru:

“I am not afraid…” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared Wednesday, shortly after a trial court said a police case must be filed against him – based on a complaint by activist Snehamayi Krishna – in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority land scam case.

Earlier today the Special Court of the People’s Representatives had directed the state’s Lokayukta to conduct an inquiry and submit a report in three months. The Chief Minister’s response was swift. “I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally.”

However, the activist whose complaint will feed the case against the Chief Minister is not fully satisfied, and has said he wants the investigation to “happen by the CBI only”. “The court said the probe will happen by Lokayukta but, once FIR is filed… we will approach Karnataka High Court,” he declared. 

The Chief Minister will now face an inquiry into claims his wife, Parvathi, was allotted multiple plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere – an exchange that allegedly cost the state losses of at least Rs 4,000 crore – taken for infrastructure projects.

Siddaramaiah has firmly denied the charge; last month he said he had not done anything illegal in a political career spanning four decades, and expressed confidence the judiciary would absolve him.

This is the second setback to the Congress leader in as many days; on Tuesday the High Court dismissed his challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot sanctioning his prosecution in the MUDA case. Siddaramaiah argued Mr Gehlot did not “apply his mind”, but the court disagreed, ruling the Governor “did apply his mind in abundance”. “No fault in the Governor’s actions,” the court said.

READ | “Governor’s Action As Per Law”: Big Setback For Siddaramaiah

In passing its order, the High Court also rolled back its August 19 order to the trial court – to not take action against the Chief Minister till his petition claiming Mr Gehlot’s action as “illegal” is settled.

After the order Siddaramaiah underlined his confidence in the judicial system and slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “revenge politics”, stating, “I believe in the law… The truth will finally win.”

The MUDA land scam row has become a major flashpoint, with the BJP and its ally, the Janata Dal Secular, targeting the ruling Congress and demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation.

On Tuesday, after the High Court’s verdict, the BJP held vociferous protests across the state once again calling on the Chief Minister to quit. The party’s state unit boss, BY Vijayendra, pointed to the court’s ruling and slammed the Congress for saying the allegations are a “political conspiracy”.

READ | “Siddaramaiah Must Quit”: BJP After Chief Minister’s Land Scam Setback

“BJP has been relentlessly fighting against the corrupt Congress government… the High Court has clearly said the decision by the Governor is correct. The Chief Minister should resign immediately…”

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called the verdict a “slap on the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah”. “The Karnataka High Court has answered all questions that were raised (and now) Siddaramaiah should resign, so an impartial investigation can be conducted by the CBI…”

Ramping up pressure on Siddaramaiah, BJP workers tried to gherao Siddaramaiah’s Bengaluru residence, prompting police – who had been placed on high alert – to take dozens into custody.

The BJP-Congress face-off over the MUDA scam allegations also comes as the two parties go head-to-head in next week’s Haryana Assembly election and the ongoing election in Jammu and Kashmir.

It also drew sharp barbs from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Haryana’s Sonipat this afternoon; Mr Modi referred to the Congress’ Karnataka government and criticised Siddaramaiah.

The Congress, meanwhile, has come out swinging in support of Siddaramaiah. The party has claimed a “conspiracy” against its Chief Minister, pointing to corruption allegations that have landed other opposition leaders – including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – in jail.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka HC dismisses petition by CM Siddaramaiah challenging Governor’s sanction for his prosecution in alleged MUDA scam.

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, “I am telling you again, there is no setback to the CM. It is a big conspiracy on all our leaders,… pic.twitter.com/VpLcSWUDyi

— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2024

Immediately after the High Court verdict Siddaramaiah’s deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the Congress’ state unit boss, said “there is no question (of the Chief Minister resigning)… he has not done anything wrong and is not involved in any scam. This is a political conspiracy by the BJP…”

Siddaramaiah has also been backed by his ministers, including Priyank Kharge, who is the son of Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge, and Ramalinga Reddy, who said his boss is “100 per cent clean”.

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Bengaluru:

The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the trial court to take no action against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah following Governor Thawaar Chand Gehlot sanctioning the Congress leader’s prosecution in the alleged MUDA land scam case. The interim relief for the embattled Chief Minister will be in effect till August 29, when the High Court will hear this case next.

Siddaramaiah had moved the High Court against Mr Gehlot’s nod to prosecute him and sought this interim relief on grounds the Governor’s action was “illegal and without authority of law”, and that allowing his prosecution posed “a grave and imminent risk of irreparable harm (to his) reputation” as well as “disrupt governance… and potentially result in political destabilisation”.

“Since the matter is heard by this court and pleadings are to be completed… till the next date of hearing the concerned court (the trial court) should defer its proceedings…” the High Court said.

In its order the court noted that documents submitted by the petitioner (i.e., Chief Minister Siddaramaiah) had “referred to several points of order… to prima facie demonstrate that (the) order (granting sanction to prosecute) bears non-application of mind (by the Governor).

The court also noted the Chief Minister’s submission – that the Governor had sanctioned prosecution of the former at “breakneck” speed following filing of a complaint on July 26.

During the hearing senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Siddaramaiah, had urged the court to direct “no precipitate action” and claimed the sanction granted by the Governor is “part of a concerted effort to destabilise the duly elected government of Karnataka…”

He argued the Governor had “picked this complaint (filed by activist TJ Abraham) … out of 12 to 15 still pending, without single reason”. He further argued that conditions to be met for application of Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, under which the Chief Minister has been charged, were missing.

READ | Siddaramaiah Slams Governor’s “Illegal” ‘Prosecute’ Nod In Land Scam

Mr Singhvi also flagged what he said were other errors that betrayed the order was passed “without application of mind”, including the show-cause notice sent to Siddaramaiah referring to one complaint and the Governor’s sanction to prosecute referring to “other complaints”.

“Mr Abraham’s complaint is received and, on the same day, the Governor issues the show-cause notice… legal malice (against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah) has to be inferred. Somebody goes to a ‘friendly governor’, gives a complaint, and he issues notice…” Mr Singhvi jibed.

Mr Singhvi also referred to the Cabinet’s “detailed, legal, and reasoned order” on this topic, and continued, “What did he decide? Order is silent on reasons why sanction should be granted.”

“Never Misused Power…”: Siddaramaiah

Hours earlier the Chief Minister had said he had not done anything illegal in a political career spanning four decades, and expressed confidence the judiciary would come to his aid.

The senior Congress leader declared he had been a Chief Minister and a Minister over the course of his career and had “never misused power for personal gains”. He also dismissed protests by the BJP, saying, “In politics it is natural that parties will protest… so let them protest, I am clean.”

READ | “In 40 Years Did Nothing Wrong”: Under-Fire Siddaramaiah In Land Scam

A massive row erupted in Karnataka over the weekend after the Governor sanctioned prosecution of the Chief Minister on corruption charges in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, case after petitions by three activists.

The Governor said his order was necessary to conduct a “neutral, objective, and non-partisan investigation”, adding he is prima facie “satisfied” the alleged infractions were, in fact, committed.

MUDA Land Scam Case Explained

The alleged MUDA scam focuses on the value of land allotted to the Chief Minister’s wife, Parvathi, in an upmarket area of Mysuru as compensation for land elsewhere taken for infra development.

Critics allege the value of land allotted grossly – by Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 crore – exceeds that taken.

NDTV Explains | MUDA Case In Which Siddaramaiah May Be Prosecuted

Specifically, in a complaint filed by an activist, TJ Abraham, that named the Chief Minister, his wife and son, and senior MUDA officials, it was alleged that allotment of 14 alternative sites in a Mysuru neighbourhood was illegal and caused a loss of Rs 45 crore.

Siddaramaiah had claimed the land was gifted by his wife’s brother in 1998. However, another activist Snehmayi Krishna alleged the brother had procured it illegally and registered it using forged documents with help from government officials. The land was shown to have been bought in 1998.

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