Bengaluru:

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday attacked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and accused him of having “double standards” while speaking about the governor.

“When Siddaramaiah was in power earlier, he praised the governor for permitting prosecution against former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. When the governor has permitted prosecution against him, Siddaramaiah and his party members are disrespecting the governor,” Mr Kumaraswamy said.

He pointed out that the Congress had different narratives when the late Hansraj Bhardwaj was the governor compared to their stance now with Thaawarchand Gehlot.

“After the permission for prosecution was granted, Congress leaders have behaved in an extremely disgraceful manner. They have insulted the governor by placing slippers on his portrait and burning effigies. Now, whom will they throw slippers at and burn effigies of,” Mr Kumaraswamy asked. 

He added the government and the chief minister are at fault while the governor has acted within his authority.

“It is the governor’s right to seek clarification from the government, as Siddaramaiah himself had said earlier. He seems to have forgotten his own words now. Let him listen to his own statements issued earlier,” he said.

Mr Kumaraswamy mentioned that several cases have been filed against Siddaramaiah in the Lokayukta. “He is not innocent. If he had no role in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, why did he rush several decisions in the cabinet meetings? Even 48 hours after the court’s order, why hasn’t an FIR been registered against the chief minister? Is this how governance works,” he questioned.

The minister also accused the chief minister, deputy chief minister and home minister of misusing the police to harass individuals. “I am not someone who will be intimidated by such actions,” he declared.

Mr Kumaraswamy clarified that he had not received any notice from the Lokayukta. “I voluntarily went to the Lokayukta office. Without me doing that, they wouldn’t have been able to take a single step. I have not committed any illegal acts like land grabbing or encroachment in Arkavathy.”

Regarding the cases against him, Mr Kumaraswamy said, “Let the cases against me be decided in court. Once the verdict is out, I will accept it. Why should I resign just because they are demanding it?”

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

New Delhi:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said he has done “no wrong”, hours after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granted sanction for his prosecution in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment ‘scam’.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Siddaramaiah said the Governor’s decision was “anti-Constitution” and “against the law”. 

“It will be questioned in court. I have done no wrong to resign,” he told reporters in Bengaluru as the Opposition demanded his resignation.

“The entire Cabinet, party high command, all MLAs, MLCs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs are with me,” the senior Congress leader said.

Mr Siddaramaiah also called it a “conspiracy to dislodge democratically elected government by the BJP, JD(S), and others”.

Mr Gehlot has sanctioned his prosecution in the MUDA land scam case after petitions by three activists – Pradeep Kumar, TJ Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna.

In a complaint filed with the Lokayukta police in July, Mr Abraham alleged that the allotment of 14 alternative sites in an upscale Mysuru neighbourhood to Mr Siddaramaiah’s wife BM Parvathi was illegal, which caused the exchequer a Rs 45 crore loss.

The complaint named Mr Siddaramaiah, his wife, son S Yathindra, and senior MUDA officials.

Another activist, Snehamayi Krishna also alleged the involvement of Mr Siddaramaiah, his wife, and MUDA and administrative officials in the alleged land scam. A fresh FIR was not filed as the police said a probe was already underway in the case.

Mr Siddaramaiah had claimed that the land for which his wife received compensation, was gifted by her brother Mallikarjuna in 1998. But activist Krishna alleged that Mallikarjuna had procured it illegally in 2004 and got it registered using forged documents with the help of government and revenue officials. The land was shown to have been bought in 1998.

Ms Parvathi sought compensation for this land in 2014 when Mr Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister.

“Conspiracy”: DK Shivakumar Backs Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday called it a “conspiracy” and said the state government will put all their weight behind Mr Siddaramaiah.

“We will fight it legally and we will fight it politically as well… This is nothing but a clear conspiracy against backward-class Siddaramaiah who is running the government for the second time,” he told reporters.

“They (BJP) are trying to destabilise the government by using the Governor’s office. This is unfortunate… There is no question of him resigning. He will continue in the post,” he said at the press conference.

Speaking to reporters, Karnataka Minister Krishna Byregowda also said the procedure adopted by the Governor was “completely illegal”.