BJP, JD(S) turns up heat on CM over MUDA ''scam'', assembly session cut short by a day

Bengaluru, Jul 25 (PTI) The opposition BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka turned up the heat on Thursday, both inside and outside the state legislature, on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his government over the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to his wife Parvathi.

Acrimonious scenes marked the proceedings in the legislative assembly and council on Thursday, with the opposition parties protesting from the well of the House, holding placards and shouting slogans, demanding a discussion on the alleged 'scam' whereby those who gave up land to MUDA for its projects were compensated with prime plots in Mysuru.

The ruckus ultimately led to curtailing of the session by a day.

The opposition also petitioned Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and urged him to seek Sidddaramaiah's resignation and to ensure a CBI probe into the MUDA 'scam'.

They have also made a similar demand in connection with the alleged financial irregularities in the state-run Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, another 'scam' that has hit this government and is being probed by ED and CBI.

With the aim of keeping up its attack against Siddaramaiah and the Congress government on the MUDA issue, the BJP and JD(S) have planned a 'padayatre' (protest march) to Mysuru from Bengaluru for about six days, probably next week, top party sources said, adding that the details will be made public soon.

The ruling Congress too is reportedly planning a mega rally in Mysuru to counter the opposition's march.

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

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

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 those who give up their land to MUDA in lieu of undeveloped land acquired to create new layouts.

Citing rules, Assembly Speaker U T Khader and Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti on Wednesday rejected the opposition’s notice for an adjournment motion on the MUDA case, causing a setback to their plans to corner Siddaramaiah.

The opposition thereafter announced they would stage "day-and-night" dharna in both the assembly and the council demanding a discussion on the issue.

Legislators of the two parties stayed back after the assembly and council were adjourned for the day on Wednesday and spent the night in the two Houses, continuing their protest.

As the House met for the day on Thursday, the BJP and JD(S) members trooped into the well of both Houses, holding placards and shouting slogans, as they demanded a discussion.

Though the protest engulfed the proceedings today, the government managed to transact key business including the passage of six bills and the adoption of resolutions against the delimitation of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies based on the coming census, the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal and the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET).

Defending himself amid mounting pressure from the opposition, Siddaramaiah termed the alleged MUDA scam a "non-issue" and charged the opposition BJP and JD(S) with trying to target him personally and tarnish his image.

“You are making an issue out of a non-issue intentionally and you are making me a personal target,” Siddaramaiah said in the Karnataka Legislative Council, hitting out at members of the opposition.

“No illegalities have happened. Everything happened as per law. I strongly condemn you for targeting me personally. Your objective is to tarnish my image,” he added.

After the session was adjourned "sine die" a day ahead of its scheduled date due to protests, the BJP and JD(S) held a march to Raj Bhavan and met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.

In their petition to the governor they said, "Direct the chief minister to submit his resignation, since the family of the sitting chief minister have themselves become the beneficiaries of illegal land transactions and got unlawful gains of developed sites. This scam is worth around 4,000 to 5,000 crore rupees and he being the head of the state government, he may not allow fair probe into this land scam." The petition also requested Governor Gehlot to entrust the full investigation into the alleged scam at MUDA to the CBI, transferring it from state-appointed committees.

On July 14, the government constituted a single-member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the charges.

On Wednesday, Siddaramaiah had met the Governor and held discussions, official sources said.

The meeting has gained significance following the governor recently seeking a detailed report from the chief secretary regarding the alleged MUDA scam. PTI KSU RS ANE