Karnataka CM rebuts opposition charge over MUDA ''scam'', says he has no role in it

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday strongly defended himself in connection with the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to his wife Parvathi, and asserted that neither he or his family has any role in it.

He accused the opposition BJP and JD(S) of making politically motivated allegations against him out of "hate and revenge", with an intention to "put a black mark on his image", as they are unable to digest that he has become Chief Minister for the second time.

Siddaramaiah also said that the Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot has sought a report from the government regarding the alleged irregularities in MUDA and a report will be sent "as everything is totally and absolutely legal."

The CM's rebuttal came a day after the BJP and JD(S) turned up the heat on him in connection with the 'scam' both inside and outside the state legislature.

"Is there any role of either mine or my wife or my brother-in-law in this? Our land was taken (by MUDA) , sites were made and they were allocated to others. So MUDA gave us (alternate sites) as given to others, after accepting their mistake. What is illegality in this? " Siddaramaiah asked while giving a detailed statement to the allegations made against him by BJP-JD(S).

Speaking to reporters here, he said: "Absolutely my role is not there. It is totally and absolutely legal. BJP and JD(S) are indulging in false propaganda for the sake of politics and trying to defame me personally, unable to digest that I have become the Chief Minister for the second time, and as they have lost the 2023 assembly polls and faced a setback in 2024 Lok Sabha polls."

Accusing the opposition of indulging in "unnecessary false propaganda," the Chief Minister said those behind it will be exposed.

Noting that the government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the charges and terms of reference for the inquiry has also been issued, he said the judicial inquiry into illegalities in MUDA will cover the period between 2006 and July 15, 2024, and it has been asked to complete the probe in six months and submit a report.

Alleging that BJP and JD(S) are trying to make a non-issue an issue, Siddaramaiah further said, they are said to have staged a protest in front of Parliament. "I want to ask them, did they ever raise or protest against injustice happening to Karnataka, also in the recent Budget."

The allegations that are being made against him are politically motivated, out of "hate and revenge," with an intention to put a black mark on his image, and to project that injustice has been done to Dalits, the Chief Minister claimed.

It is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.

Several supporters of Siddaramaiah too have allegedly "benefitted this way," BJP leaders alleged.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.

The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.