Congress slams move to sanction prosecution of Siddaramaiah; BJP says CM must resign

NEW DELHI; Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot’s decision to sanction prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramiah in the alleged MUDA site allotment scam has resulted in an all-out political war between the BJP and the Congress.

Describing it as a “shameless step”, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the state government will not be sacred by such tactics. Congress leader Pawan Khera downplayed the Governor’s move, believing that “there is nothing in this”. He alleged that there has been politicisation of Constitutional posts since the BJP came to power.

The Karnataka government, meanwhile, has said they will challenge the governor’s action in the High Court. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Saturday granted permission to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam, according to the Raj Bhavan sources.

Siddaramaiah has been maintaining that “everything was done according to the law”. Responding to queries, Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters, “This is a shameless step by the Governor. We knew that such a conspiracy would be hatched to punish our Chief Minister. We will face it legally and will not be scared of these tactics”.

#WATCH | On Karnataka Governor granting permission to prosecute CM Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam, Congress leader Pawan Khera says, “…The politicisation of constitutional posts has been going on ever since the BJP came to power. There is doubt and a question mark on… pic.twitter.com/gQMM3csrL1

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2024

Pawan Khera said, “…The politicisation of constitutional posts has been going on ever since the BJP came to power. There is doubt and a question mark on everything. Whenever the Governor does something, there is a big question mark over it… I am sure that there is nothing in this. It is wrong to politicise unnecessary things…”

#WATCH | On Karnataka Governor granting permission to prosecute CM Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla says, “The Congress government in Karnataka is perhaps the most corrupt government in the history of this country and therefore it has made loot… pic.twitter.com/vczL4d06sK

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2024

On the other hand, the BJP is mounting pressure, demanding that the CM must resign to allow an impartial probe. Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the Siddaramiah government was the most corrupt in the country. “The Congress government in Karnataka is perhaps the most corrupt government in the history of this country and therefore it has made loot and jhoot (lie) as its primary agenda and they have perhaps looted every department of the government,” Poonawalla alleged

“The MUDA scam pertains to a scam of Rs 5,000 crore where land parcels in prime localities were handed over and given to the wife of the Chief Minister, friends and allies of the Chief Minister and it was not even disclosed by the CM in his affidavit…The CM must resign and allow an impartial probe”, he added.

Earlier, a complaint was filed by social activist Snehamayi Krishna against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and nine others for allegedly forging documents to claim compensation from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority. (ANI)