Ready to fight legally and politically on Guv’s possible nod for prosecution: CM Siddaramaiah

PTI, Aug 5, 2024, 3:32 PM IST

Image source: PTI / File

Belagavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that the Congress government led by him is ready to fight legally and politically, in case Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot rejects the Cabinet’s advice to withdraw the “show-cause notice” to him in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment ‘scam’, and grants permission for prosecution.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, “We have said that the show-cause notice has to be withdrawn. Also, we have asked for the petition by T J Abraham (activist) seeking permission for prosecution to be rejected. Let’s see what decision the Governor takes. He has not made a decision yet.”

“We are ready to fight legally…both legally and politically we will fight,” he said.

Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, the Governor had issued a “show-cause notice” on July 26 directing the chief minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days, as to why permission for prosecution should not be granted against him.

The Karnataka government on Thursday “strongly advised” the Governor to withdraw his “show-cause notice” to the chief minister, and alleged “gross misuse of the Constitutional Office” of the Governor.

The council of Ministers after their meeting, had said a concerted effort is being made to destabilise a lawfully elected majority government in Karnataka for political considerations.

Earlier today, in Bengaluru, Home Minister G Parameshwara expressed hope that the Governor will not reject the Cabinet’s advice to withdraw his “show-cause notice” to the chief minister.
He said, in case the Governor rejects the Cabinet’s advice and grants permission for prosecution against the CM, the Congress government will fight it legally.

“As a Cabinet we have advised the Governor to withdraw his show-cause notice and to reject the petition seeking Siddaramaiah’s prosecution by activist T J Abraham. I’m hopeful and don’t feel that the Governor will do it (sanction prosecution), despite the Cabinet’s advice along with facts,” Parameshwara said.

“He (the Governor) might have some powers, but I don’t feel that he will reject the advice of the Cabinet so easily. In case he still goes ahead and gives permission for prosecution, we will fight legally,” the Home Minister told reporters.

The BJP and JD(S) are on a week-long ‘Mysuru Chalo’ padayatre (foot march) since Saturday against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites by MUDA to those who lost land to other development projects, including to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, and are demanding his resignation.

The Congress would unitedly fight against the BJP and JD(S)’s attempts to “destabilise” the Siddaramaiah government, the party said on Sunday, backing its chief minister, who is on the opposition’s radar.

Congress said this after its general secretary in-charge of organisation K C Venugopal held a meeting with state ministers, along with AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Randeep Singh Surjewala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and his deputy D K Shivakumar, who is also the party’s Karnataka unit chief.

Venugopal said the ministers have been told to visit districts and assembly constituencies and explain to the people how the BJP was trying to “destabilise” the government and end the guarantee schemes.

According to party sources, Venugopal and Surjewala are said to have asked the ministers to strongly stand behind the CM and defend him, while also effectively countering the opposition.

Also, indicating the possible scenario where the government may have to legally fight the Governor if prosecution against the chief minister is sanctioned in connection with the MUDA “scam”, they assured the high command’s support, the sources added.

In the MUDA ‘scam’, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi 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.

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.

Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.

BJP leaders have claimed that the MUDA “scam” is of the magnitude of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.

The Congress government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the MUDA ‘scam’.

Siddaramaiah along with Shivakumar last week had met Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala in New Delhi and held discussions.