Siddaramaiah under fire in land fraud case

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah – who is facing criminal proceedings over alleged irregularities in land allocation by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority and is being demanded by the opposition BJP to resign – said on Monday that he had done nothing wrong in his four-decade-long political career.

The senior Congress MP said he has been a chief minister and minister throughout his career and has “never misused power for personal gain”. He also dismissed protests by the BJP, saying, “In politics, it is natural for parties to protest… so let them protest, I am clean.”

“I have full confidence in the justice system. A petition has been filed and the hearing is pending. I am sure the governor will issue a temporary restraining order and the prosecution will be dropped,” he said.

The Chief Minister approached the Karnataka High Court this morning to challenge the Governor's decision.

READ | In the dispute between the Chief Minister and the Governor of K'taka: Siddaramaiah's action before the Supreme Court

On Saturday, Siddaramaiah tweeted that the governor's decision was “unconstitutional” and “illegal.” “It will be challenged in court. I did nothing wrong by resigning,” he said.

A massive uproar broke out in Karnataka over the weekend after Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot approved the prosecution of the Chief Minister on corruption charges related to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case following petitions from three activists.

READ | Governor of Karnataka exonerates Chief Minister in connection with land fraud

The governor said his order was necessary to conduct a “neutral, objective and impartial investigation.” He was “convinced” at first glance that the alleged violations had actually been committed.

Congress protests against governor's approval

The sanction sparked strong protests from the Congress, which today held nationwide protests – dharnas, marches and rallies at district headquarters, including in Mysuru – against Mr Gehlot.

The chief minister criticised the governor for being a “puppet” of the BJP, the state's main opposition party, while Siddaramaiah's deputy DK Shivakumar called the sanctions a “murder of democracy”.

READ | Siddaramaiah's dig at the governor amid calls for his resignation

The governor approved the prosecution after asking the chief minister why the investigation against him should not be continued. Siddaramaiah was given seven days to respond.

The state government described the announcement as a “gross abuse of constitutional offices.”

As the controversy escalated and calls for Siddaramaiah's resignation grew, the chief minister stood firm, demanding: “Tell me why I should resign? In my opinion, the governor must resign… because he has behaved like a puppet in the hands of the Indian government…”

The BJP has demanded that Siddaramaiah – who faces the first major challenge to the ruling Congress party since a surprise victory in the 2023 general elections – resign to allow for the investigation.

Explaining the MUDA land fraud

The alleged MUDA scam involves the value of a plot of land in a posh locality of Mysuru that was allotted to the chief minister's wife, Parvathi, as compensation for land taken up for infrastructure development elsewhere.

Critics claim that the gross value of the land allocated – by Rs 4,000 to 5,000 crore – is higher than that of the land taken up.

NDTV explains | MUDA case in which Siddaramaiah could face criminal prosecution

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

READ | 1.36 hectares of land bought for 1 rupee in 1935: Siddaramaiah on the land scam in Mysuru

Siddaramaiah had claimed that the land was gifted to him by his wife's brother in 1998. However, another activist, Snehmayi Krishna, alleged that the brother had acquired it illegally and registered it with the help of government officials using fake documents. It turned out that the land had been purchased in 1998.

The Chief Minister's wife demanded compensation in 2014, when Siddaramaiah held the top post.

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