Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faces a big challenge as the Governor has sanctioned his prosecution over alleged irregularities in the site allotment by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The BJP has been campaigning against the Chief Minister and his government over the alleged land scam and demanding his resignation. Siddaramaiah has denied all charges against him and his wife BM Parvathi.
What’s The Row?
The MUDA land scam row pertains to the allotment of compensatory land parcels to Siddaramaiah’s wife when he was the chief minister. Social activists allege irregularities in the process that allegedly caused loss worth crores to the state exchequer. Top officials in the MUDA and revenue department are also named in the case.
At least three activists -Pradeep Kumar, TJ Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna – had requested Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for action against the chief minister.
Mr Abraham, an anti-corruption activist, had alleged the multi-crore scam caused huge losses to the state exchequer in his petition to the Governor and requested him to sanction his prosecution.
Read | Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah To Be Prosecuted In Land Scam Case
In July, he had complained to the Lokayukta police that the allotment of 14 sites in an upscale Mysuru neighbourhood to Siddaramaiah’s wife BM Parvathi was illegal. This caused a Rs 45 crore loss, he had claimed. Besides Siddaramaiah, the complaint also named his wife, son S Yathindra, and senior MUDA officials.
Another activist, Snehamayi Krishna also alleged the involvement of Siddaramaiah, his wife, and MUDA and administrative officials in the alleged land scam. A fresh FIR was not filed as the police said probe was already underway in the case.
Siddaramaiah’s Defence
Siddaramiah 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 it 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 Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister.
Siddaramaiah had denied the charges as “politically motivated” and said his wife was awarded compensation when the BJP was in power and that it was her right. “They (BJP) are the ones who gave the site, now if they call it illegal, how should one respond?” he had asked.
Action In MUDA Row
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sanctioned the Lokayukta to prosecute Siddaramaiah based on petitions by the three activists. The Karnataka BJP welcomed the Governor’s go-ahead while the Congress called it a “politically motivated conspiracy.”
Last month, the Governor had issued a “show-cause notice” to the Chief Minister and asked him to reply within seven days why he shouldn’t be prosecuted. The Karnataka government had advised the Governor to withdraw the notice and called it “gross misuse of the Constitutional Office” of the Governor.
