Bengaluru:

A social activist has filed a police complaint against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi and two others, accusing them of involvement in the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

In his complaint filed at Vijayanagar police station in Mysuru, activist Snehamayi Krishna has alleged that the Congress veteran, his wife, MUDA officials and other administrative officials are involved in the alleged irregularities. Police have not registered a fresh FIR, saying that an investigation into alleged MUDA irregularities is already on.

The Background

The fresh complaint comes against the backdrop of the BJP leader’s allegations that Ms Parvathi benefited from alleged irregularities in MUDA’s land allotment. BJP leaders have said influential people, including the current Chief Minister’s wife, received prime property in Mysuru as compensation for land MUDA acquired for layout development. They allege that the value of land provided as compensation is much more than the land acquired and that this caused a loss of Rs 4,000 crore to the state exchequer.

Charge Against Siddaramaiah Wife

Siddaramiah has said the land his wife received compensation for was gifted by her brother Mallikarjuna in 1998. But activist Snehamayi Krishna has alleged that Mallikarjuna bought land in 2004 and gifted it to Parvathi in 2010. This land, he has said, was already denotified but was falsely shown as agricultural land. Later, this was acquired by MUDA for development and Parvathi received 38,283 square feet of prime real estate in south Mysuru in 2021. The activist has alleged that Mallikarjun procured the land illegally and got it registered it using forged documents with the help of government and revenue officials. The land was shown to have been bought in 1998. Parvathi sought compensation for this land in 2014, when Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister.

What Has Siddaramaiah Said

In his response to the BJP’s offensive, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said his wife was awarded compensation when the BJP was in power and that it was her right. “They (BJP) are the ones who gave the site, now if they call it illegal, how should one respond? They took away our land and parks were made there, and those sites were allocated to others. Should we give up our land because I am the Chief Minister?”

The Opposition’s Stand

The BJP has demanded a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities. On the compensation provided to the Chief Minister’s wife, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said, “The land was acquired by MUDA and then denotified. I don’t know on whose pressure it was done. After the denotification, MUDA formed a layout, park and playground on that land. This gives rise to many doubts because once it is denotified, MUDA has no right to touch that piece of land, which belongs to a reputed person. Yet, the layout was formed.” HD Kumaraswamy, Union minister and leader of BJP ally JDS, has claimed that the MUDA row is an outcome of a power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar.

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday urged the Centre to scrap the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and allow states to conduct their own entrance tests.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, “The irregularities in the NEET exam are serious. It is a question of the future of lakhs of students. The Centre must scrap NEET and allow states to conduct their own entrance tests. Students from across the country can participate in the tests conducted by states.” “Injustice is being meted out to the students from Karnataka. Karnataka has built colleges, but it is benefitting students from North India and depriving its own students. We have to fight unitedly against this. The Centre must conduct an inquiry into the NEET exam irregularities also,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, regarding the NEET exam, said there has been injustice to students who have worked hard.

“…..there has to be a probe about it, and a re-exam has to be done. NTA (National Testing Agency) has not conducted the exams properly. Giving grace marks is not a good practice, no one should be passed by giving grace marks,” he said.

The NTA has come under criticism amid allegations of irregularities and inflation of marks in the medical entrance exam.

To a question regarding city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief said elections will be announced soon and there is a need to prepare the party for that.

“We (Congress) are confident of doing well….We have held discussions with the block level leaders of the party on preparations for the BBMP elections. We have given instructions to replace ineffective office bearers and fill up vacant positions,” he said.

Asked about the division of BBMP, DK Shivakumar said, “We have the committee report on this. Currently, there are 225 wards and the division can be done later as well”.

On the Zilla Panchayat elections, he said, “We have to conduct the election in view of the court order. We are committed to conducting elections.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

A court here on Saturday directed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear before it in a defamation case filed by the BJP and granted bail to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar in connection with the matter.

Rahul Gandhi was asked to appear before the court on June 7 in connection with the case.

The defamation case on alleged false advertisements was filed by BJP general secretary Keshav Prasad.

While Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Shivakumar appeared in person before the Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru, Mr Gandhi, who was supposed to appear, did not turn up.

BJP advocates raised objections and said Mr Gandhi should not be given an exemption under CrPC 205 since he had skipped an appearance for the second time.

Congress advocates argued that Mr Gandhi was attending the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi, and he is also a contestant in the Lok Sabha polls.

They requested the court for exemption from Saturday’s hearing and promised that the Congress leader would be present on the next date. The court granted an exemption to Mr Gandhi and directed him to be present before it on June 7.

In the run-up to the 2023 Assembly election, the Congress ran a campaign of ’40 per cent Sarkara’, accusing the then BJP government in Karnataka of collecting 40 per cent commission on public works and exorbitant bribe in posting and recruitments.

The party also put out posters of ‘PayCM’ with a QR code showing the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the middle of it. Scanning the QR code would redirect to a web page developed by the Congress which had contents accusing rampant corruption prevailing in the state under the BJP rule.

The complainant accused the Congress party of running a defamatory campaign against the previous BJP government.

Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said he appeared in court regarding a private complaint. He described the case as civil and emphasised his commitment to the law.

The chief minister said KPCC president Shivakumar and Rahul Gandhi were also implicated in the case. All the three leaders have requested a permanent injunction to avoid further court appearances related to this case.

Meanwhile, addressing mediapersons, Mr Shivakumar said the Congress party’s advertisements were based on statements made by BJP leaders, which were reported in the media.

He asserted that the party is prepared to handle the legal challenge, noting the BJP leaders’ claims about substantial payments for the CM’s post and other positions.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar on Saturday asserted that the state government will not protect anyone in the illegal money transfer case involving the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd and would take action in accordance with law.

The assertion comes hours after the opposition BJP sought a CBI probe into the illegal money transfer case and demanded that Minister of Scheduled Tribes Welfare, B Nagendra be dismissed.

“We will not protect anyone… whoever it may be (involved in the case), we will take action in accordance with law,” Mr Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question on a case involving Minister Nagendra and BJP seeking his removal.

The illegal transfer of money came to light after the Accounts Superintendent at the Corporation, Chandrashekhar P, died by suicide on May 26, leaving behind a death note.

It revealed the unauthorised transfer of Rs 187 crore belonging to the corporation from its bank account, and from that, Rs 88.62 crore was illegally moved to various accounts allegedly belonging to “well-known” IT companies and a Hyderabad-based cooperative bank.

Chandrashekhar has named the Corporation’s now suspended Managing Director J G Padmanabh, accounts officer Parashuram G Durugannavar, and Union Bank of India Chief Manager Suchismita Rawal in the note, while also stating that the “Minister” had issued oral orders for transferring the funds.

The state government has constituted a four-member SIT team headed by Manish Kharbikar, Additional Director General of Police, Economic Offences, at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Bengaluru, to conduct the probe.

DK Shivakumar maintained that the government will not protect anyone and no one will be spared.

Addressing reporters here, he said, “The BJP is doing politics, I won’t question them. During the BJP regime too such things have happened. Basavaraj Bommai (former CM) is aware of it, everyone else also knows it… We are investigating the case, we will not spare anyone.”

When pointed out that while in opposition the Congress had sought the then Minister K S Eshwarappa’s resignation following the suicide of a contractor naming him, but is not acting against its own Minister now, Mr Shivakumar said there is no direct reference to Minister Nagendra in this case.

“If any documents or proof or any involvement is found, whatever needs to be done, the government will surely do it. The government is transparent, there is no question of sparing anyone. We will take action. We will protect the interest and safeguard the government. The money is important, our officials are trying to trace it,” he said.

He further said that a couple of days is required.

“After that, the government will definitely take action. Some arrests have been made, actions have already been taken. The Minister has spoken to me and the CM, we are inquiring into it,” he added.

On the demand for a CBI investigation, he said there is a procedure that if more than certain crores of money is involved in a bank fraud case (Rs 3 crore in public sector banks), the case will naturally go to CBI.

“Whether we give it or not. there is a procedure, we also know that, we are ready to cooperate. They (CBI) should also probe without politics. As of now the case is not with the CBI, we are investigating,” he added.

Meanwhile, amid media reports that a bank account named after IT firm Happiest Minds Technologies Ltd, is among the “beneficiaries” of the money embezzled at the Corporation, the company in a statement clarified that the bank account does not belong to it.

“We have absolutely no connection to the bank account or the branch mentioned (RBL Bank, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, IFSC Code RATN0000341) and this has been confirmed by RBL Bank authorities as well. We vehemently deny these malicious efforts to malign our Company’s reputation,” it said in a statement.

“We are confident that a thorough investigation will reveal the truth and expose those responsible for these false and baseless accusations. We are also pursuing all legal avenues available to us to protect our Company’s reputation,” it added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has claimed that former prime minister HD Deve Gowda helped his grandson Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna flee to Germany last month amid allegations of sexual assault.

“I think Deve Gowda himself sent Prajwal. The letter now written by him is only for public consumption,” he said, taking a swipe at a public letter shared by the former PM on Thursday, warning his grandson to surrender or face the “anger of the family.”

In his letter, shared on X, the former PM said he had warned his grandson to return to India “immediately” and not to “test my patience any further.”

“I spoke to the media about Prajwal Revanna on 18 May when I was headed to the temple to offer pooja. It took me some time to recover from the shock and pain he has inflicted on me, my entire family, my colleagues, friends and party workers. I have already said that he should be given the harshest punishment under the law if found guilty. My son and former Karnataka Chief Minister, Shri. H.D Kumaraswamy, has advocated this line since the day the scandal broke,” he wrote.

Over the past month, Siddaramaiah has written several letters to PM Modi, urging the Centre to cancel his diplomatic passport, which he allegedly used to flee the country. “He has abused his diplomatic privileges to flee the country and to escape criminal proceedings,” Siddaramaiah said.

The 33-year-old NDA candidate from Karnataka’s Hassan had left the country on April 27, a day after polls concluded in the constituency.

Revanna, has been accused of sexually assaulting several women and filming the act, sparking widespread outrage. Several videos of the alleged assaults surfaced last month after which Karnataka police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) began a probe in the case.

A Blue Corner notice, which enables Interpol to share alerts and requests for information worldwide,  has been issued to track Revanna.

Bengaluru:

JD-S MP Prajwal Revanna, who is still an accused, has already been labelled a criminal by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, JD-S leader and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Tuesday.

Prajwal Revanna — the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and nephew of Mr Kumaraswamy — is the prime accused in the sex video scandal in Karnataka who is presently on run.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Kumaraswamy maintained that Prajwal Revanna is still an accused in the case.

“Has his offence been proved? The investigating team leaked information to the media that there is no visible face of a person in the alleged videos. Doesn’t the CM know this? To uphold morality, Prajwal Revanna was suspended from the party when the charges surfaced against him. We have not shown arrogance like CM Siddaramaiah,” he said.

“Due to his arrogance, the CM’s son’s case was hushed up. A video showed him asking over the phone why there was a sixth name on the list when he had given only five names. When questions were raised about his son’s role in the transfer mafia, he maintained that the conversation was regarding CSR funds. The people of the state know about this,” Mr Kumaraswamy alleged.

“The Chief Minister has proved that evidence can be twisted by misusing power. Presently, he is engaged in the same task. The accused who distributed the pen drives has not been touched to date.

“The CM should not make light comments. He is escaping my questions. The case is being used for political campaigning. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is nothing but a waste,” Mr Kumaraswamy claimed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

Denying charges that Congress is politicising the alleged obscene video scandal involving Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that his government is simply “amplifying the voices of victims.”

Accused by the BJP of pursuing “appeasement politics” through Muslim reservation, Mr Siddaramaiah spoke to the news agency IANS ahead of phase three of the Lok Sabha elections that will see voting taking place in 14 constituencies in the state on May 7.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

Is Congress politicising the Prajwal Revanna case ahead of the third phase of polls?

Mr Siddaramaiah: Our commitment to justice for the victims should not be misconstrued as politicising the issue. We are not levying baseless or false allegations, we are simply amplifying the voices of the women who suffered at the hands of Prajwal Revanna. It is the BJP that endorsed his candidature and facilitated his evasion of accountability. How can our efforts to expose their complicity be considered politicising the matter?

BJP has slammed Congress for indulging in appeasement politics. Your take on this?

Mr Siddaramaiah: We do not engage in appeasement politics. Our approach is centred around inclusive development and equitable distribution of resources. Every community in our country should benefit from our nation’s progress. Our schemes are designed for everyone, not just one or two specific communities. Regrettably, the BJP consistently resorts to this narrative during elections. They aim to divide people along caste and religious lines to garner votes by fostering fear. If they were to focus solely on development issues, they would not secure a single vote.

Questions have been raised over the way the Neha Hiremath murder case has been handled, and the state government being accused of hushing up matters.

Mr Siddaramaiah: We have not compromised in our handling of the Neha Hiremath murder case. We are closely monitoring the situation, and justice will be served. This was a tragic incident, and understandably, it is profoundly challenging for her parents to come to terms with their loss. The entire state shares their sorrow. Rest assured, the perpetrator will receive no immunity.

BJP has been asking for the reason for not projecting Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate.

Mr Siddaramaiah: The Congress party is committed to a model of collective leadership, focusing on decisions that prioritise the nation’s best interests. Our leadership, alongside Members of Parliament and leaders from the INDIA bloc, will collaboratively determine our Prime Ministerial candidate at the appropriate time — when we are in the position to form a government.

Congress is in the line of fire for issues like inheritance tax, Muslim reservation, and redistribution of wealth. BJP has said that the party’s intentions are very dangerous.

Mr Siddaramaiah: All I can say is that the BJP leaders have mastered the art of misinformation. Our policies are designed with a focus on inclusivity and fairness, aiming to benefit every citizen irrespective of their religious or social background.

These allegations of favouritism are not only baseless but also a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. I urge the media to rigorously fact-check the BJP’s claims and present the truth to people. It’s essential for the electorate to be informed accurately so they can make decisions based on facts rather than manipulated narratives.

Home Minister Amit Shah has alleged that there is an internal fight taking place between you and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar. Is it true?

Mr Siddaramaiah: It is quite amusing to hear such claims from BJP leaders. We are united in our efforts, as demonstrated by our efficient governance and the effectiveness of our campaign, which clearly reflect our unity. Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and I frequently collaborate on various issues, developing numerous policies together. We stand united in addressing the concerns of Kannadigas.

Do you think the Mahalaxmi Scheme will work in favour of the Congress party in Karnataka?

Mr Siddaramaiah: Absolutely, the Mahalakshmi Scheme will significantly impact the electorate. People are currently struggling with joblessness and rising prices, and the Mahalakshmi Scheme will provide the much-needed relief. Our Gruha Lakshmi scheme has already proven beneficial in mitigating the adverse effects of the BJP’s failures. Observing the benefits enjoyed by the people of Karnataka under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, there is now a nationwide demand for the implementation of the Mahalakshmi Scheme.

You have claimed that the Congress will win 20 seats in Karnataka this time.

Mr Siddaramaiah: I am extremely confident that Congress will secure a minimum of 20 seats in Karnataka. This expectation is not a mere rhetoric, it is grounded in extensive surveys and reflects the prevailing mood of the populace. Nearly every family in Karnataka has benefitted from our guarantee schemes and there is considerable anticipation for our NYAY schemes as well. We have provided honest and efficient governance, which the people clearly appreciate and wish to see replicated at the national level.

Why should people vote for the Congress party?

Mr Siddaramaiah: People should vote for the Congress party because we are committed to inclusive and sustainable development that benefits all sections of society. Our focus is on providing transparent governance, implementing progressive policies that ensure economic growth, and safeguarding social justice. We have demonstrated a strong track record of delivering on our promises, such as improving healthcare, education, and infrastructure, while also introducing welfare schemes that directly support the needs of the underprivileged and marginalised communities. By voting for Congress, citizens are choosing a future that prioritises equality, opportunity, and integrity in leadership.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Rahul Gandhi likes to keep it simple. Walking briskly, with a hand in his trouser pocket, the 53-year-old Congress leader answered the “why white T-shirt” (now his trademark style) question during a campaign trail in Karnataka.

“Transparency and simplicity. And I don’t really care much about clothes. I just prefer it simple,” said the Congress leader as he got into a chopper.

Mr Gandhi, a former party chief, played interviewer to Congress chief M Kharge and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. This was part of a “light rapid fire” and a video chat between the three leaders.

Asked by Mr Gandhi about what seems good and what’s bad during the campaign, Mr Kharge said: “There’s nothing bad. It’s good because we are doing all this for the country. The one who’s spoiling the country, when we work to stop him, we feel good. At least, we are doing something good for the country.”

Turning to Siddaramaiah in the car, he continued the “light rapid fire”, asking the Congress veteran what will he choose, power or ideology.

“Ideology,” said the veteran, explaining, “It’s because ideology is always important. You have to place before the people the ideology of the party and the programmes of the party.  And if you are in power, you have to tell people our achievements. Then only the people will definitely appreciate our stand and they will bless us.”

At this point, the Congress chief, sitting in the front, joins the issue.

“Power comes and goes. But staying true to ideology is a bigger thing. Ourt leaders have sacrificed for this,” said Mr Kharge.

“I agree with both Kharge ji and Siddaramaiah ji. In my view, you cannot go as a large organisation, you cannot go towards power without a clear understanding of the ideology. And we have to convince the people of our ideology which is pro-poor, pro-women, plural, treating everybody equally. So the political fight at an organisational level, at a national  level is always about ideology,” Mr Gandhi concurred.

Mr Gandhi, who made his poll debut in 2004, was asked what’s the best part about campaigning.

“When it ends,” pat came the reply.

“See, for me, this campaign has been going on for now almost 70 days. Bharat Jodo Yatra was not a campaign but in terms of working it was harder than this. Non-stop. So I have been going for quite a long time. You know this is the strange thing. I quite like the speeches. It makes one think about what the country needs,” he said explaining further.

Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats and elections in the state are being held in two phases. Voting for 14 seats concluded on April 26 and the remaining 14 seats will undergo polling on May 7. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.

In 2019, the BJP almost swept the state by winning 25 out of 28 seats, while Congress and JD-S – who were alliance partners in the state – could only win one seat each.

This time, the BJP and JD-S are in coalition with the former fighting on 25 seats, while the latter is contesting three seats.

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that the Congress government led by him in the state has not made any changes to the backward class reservations while terming the claim arising in the matter a “blatant lie”.

In a statement, Mr Siddaramaiah said that Muslims have been part of the backward class reservation since the L.G. Havanur Commission Report in 1974.

“The current Karnataka government has not made any changes to the backward class reservations. The previous government had taken away the 4 per cent BC (backward class) reservation under category 2B to Muslims and the matter has been pending in the Supreme Court with the previous BJP government headed by Bsavaraj Bommai giving an undertaking that it will not implement the changes during the pendency of the case in the Supreme Court,” he stated.

“As the matter stands thus, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) in a politically motivated move, has issued a press note on an issue that does not concern it. The law is clear that the state governments have the power to determine their own list of castes and communities to be categorised as Backward Classes. The NCBC has no role in it,” CM Siddaramaiah said.

He further said “the NCBC press note is motivated to create confusion in the state when it is going for election”.

“It gives the impression that the Congress government of Karnataka has given a new reservation to Muslims. This is a blatant lie. The fact remains that the backward class reservation of Muslims has been in existence since 1977 (04.03.1977) and it has withstood legal scrutiny,” he said.

Successive Backward Class Commissions, namely, Havanur, Venkataswamy, Chinnappa Reddy, Prof Ravi Verma Kumar Commissions have recognised Muslims subject to income ceiling as Backward Class. This has been the position of law, the statement read.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

In a blistering counterstrike on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka had transferred to the Muslims reservation quota meant for backward classes and Dalits, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has dared the Prime Minister to prove his charge or apologise to the nation.

Addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk on Tuesday, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of trying to extend reservation on the basis of religion and give it to Muslims. He also doubled down on his earlier allegation that the Congress has hatched “deep conspiracy” to snatch people’s wealth and distribute it among a “select” group. The Congress has denied the charge and said it has no such plan.

At the Tonk rally, the Prime Minister alleged, “As soon as the Congress formed the government at the Centre in 2004, one of the first things it did was to reduce the SC/ST reservation in Andhra Pradesh and give it to Muslims. This was a pilot project which the Congress wanted to try in the entire country.”

“Between 2004 and 2010, the Congress tried to implement Muslim reservation in Andhra Pradesh four times but due to legal hurdles and the awareness of the Supreme Court, it could not fulfil its intention,” he claimed. “In 2011, the Congress tried to implement it throughout the country. They played the game of snatching away the rights provided to the SC, ST and OBC and giving them to others for vote bank politics,” he said.

The Prime Minister also said that when the BJP government in Karnataka got an opportunity, it abolished the Muslim quota created by the Congress government out of the reservation for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

Hitting back, Mr Siddaramaiah said the Prime Minister’s claim that the Congress government in Karnataka transferred the reservation quota from backward classes and Dalits to Muslims is “a blatant lie”. “It stems from ignorance but also indicative of his desperation born from a fear of defeat. No leader in the history of our country has ever demeaned the office of the Prime Minister to such a low level,” he said in a statement also posted on X.

“Being in a position of responsibility, Prime Minister Narendra Modi must either substantiate these irresponsible allegations with evidence or apologise to the nation. Where has the Congress stated that it would take away reservations from backward classes and SC/STs to give them to Muslims? Which state government under the Congress has implemented such a policy? Is there any official government document related to this? Prime Minister Modi must present all these details before the nation,” he said.

Constitutional reservations, he said, cannot be arbitrarily amended. “Revisions to reservations can only be made based on reports from social and economic surveys. Moreover, state governments do not have the authority to modify reservations for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Such amendments require the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The fact that a Prime Minister lacks even this basic knowledge is truly tragic for our country,” he said.

Mr Siddaramaiah said that Muslims have been provided reservation in Karnataka by including them in the 2B category for backward classes.

“This is not something done now. It has been based on the reports of the Backward Classes Commissions starting the L. G. Havanur in 1974. This reservation has been in place for the past three decades. Neither the BJP government previously in power at the state, nor the Narendra Modi-led Union Government that has been in power for the past ten years, has questioned this reservation. Moreover, no one, including the BJP, has challenged it in court,” he said.

Targeting the previous state government led by the BJP, Mr Siddaramaiah said that the Prime Minister appears to have “overlooked how the Basavaraj Bommai government, with the sole intention of dividing votes based on religion before the last Assembly elections, attempted to arbitrarily amend the reservation and got reprimanded by the Supreme Court”. “The Apex Court has issued a stay on the decision to cancel the 4% reservation for Muslims. The Supreme Court ordered that the revised reservation should not be implemented until further notice. It is regrettable that even such important information has escaped the attention of the Prime Minister,” he said.

“In Karnataka, the previous BJP government had announced an increase in the reservations for Scheduled Castes from fifteen to seventeen percent and for Scheduled Tribes from three to five percent. They also claimed to have written to the Union Government about this. However, on March 14, 2023, the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Narayana Swamy, informed the Lok Sabha that neither had such a letter been received from the state’s BJP government, nor was there any proposal to increase reservations under consideration. Did Prime Minister Narendra Modi not take note of this decision?,” he asked.

Tagging former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Devegowda, Mr Siddaramaiah added, “I am eager to know the opinion of Modi’s new ally Shri H D Devegowda. Shri Devegowda, who once boasted of implementing the reservation for Muslims, should clarify his current stance.”

“Despite having governed for the last ten years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lack of significant achievements proves that he is a failed leader,” he said.