Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approached the High Court questioning Governor Thawarchand Gehlot's approval to prosecute him in connection with the MUDA scam. The case centers on the allotment of land to Siddaramaiah's wife in Mysuru. The ruling party plans to stage state-wide protests against the Governor’s decision.
In response to the prosecution sanction, Siddaramaiah has called a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bengaluru on August 22. The meeting aims to gather MLAs' opinions on countering the BJP's political campaign and managing the crisis triggered by the Governor's sanction, which followed a request from three activists.
Congress's Response to the Prosecution
Congress leaders have consulted with Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, briefing him on the political implications of the case. Siddaramaiah’s team will argue for an interim stay on the prosecution, claiming the Governor has shown bias. They argue that the Governor has delayed decisions on Lokayukta requests for other leaders, including JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy and BJP leaders Janardhan Reddy, Murugesh Nirani, and Shashikala Jolle, but acted swiftly against Siddaramaiah. This argument will be presented in court.
Despite the ongoing controversy, Siddaramaiah has rejected calls for his resignation, with Congress leadership and Cabinet colleagues rallying in his support. In Mysuru, supporters staged protests on Sunday to demonstrate solidarity.
Understanding the MUDA Scam
The MUDA scam involves allegations of irregularities in the allocation of compensatory land. The controversy centers on a 3.2-acre plot gifted to Siddaramaiah's wife, Parvathi, by her brother Mallikarjunaswamy in 2010. After acquiring the land, MUDA allocated 14 compensatory plots to Parvathi, reportedly worth significantly more than the original land.
Opposition parties estimate the scam’s value between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 4,000 crore.
Governor's Decision
The Governor's sanction followed requests from activists TJ Abraham, Pradeep Kumar SP, and Snehamayi Krishna. The Governor issued a seven-page order detailing the complaint and his reasons for approving the prosecution.
Despite a resolution from the Council of Ministers on August 1, which urged the Governor to withdraw the prosecution sanction, the Governor proceeded with his decision. The Congress views the Governor’s action as a tactic by the BJP to undermine the five guarantee schemes introduced in Karnataka last year.
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