Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh Defends Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Amid MUDA Land Scam Allegations
New Delhi [India], October 1: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has come to the defense of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) booked him for money laundering in connection with the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam.
Allegations and Defense
Addressing a press conference, Ramesh claimed that efforts have been made from Delhi to destabilize the Karnataka government since May 25, 2023. He stated, “Cases are being registered, Income Tax, CBI, and now ED. This is an attempt to scare us. This is the politics of vengeance and harassment. We won’t be scared, whatever needs to be probed, must be probed. The truth will come out. The mandate Karnataka government got from people for 5 years, we will complete it and all the guarantees we promised will be fulfilled.”
Siddaramaiah’s Response
Earlier, CM Siddaramaiah reiterated his stance on the allegations, stating he would not resign and would fight the case legally. He distinguished his situation from that of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, emphasizing that he was not involved in land denotification. Siddaramaiah explained that the land in question was gifted to his wife by her brother and that MUDA had encroached upon it. He stated, “BS Yeddyurappa’s case and mine are different cases. He did denotification of land and I am not involved in it. I will not give my resignation as a self-witness. Whether ED or anything else, I will fight it out legally.”
Investigation
The Mysuru Lokayukta has officially started an inquiry and investigation into the case following a court order on September 27. The investigation focuses on the alleged illegal allotment of 14 sites worth Rs 56 crore to Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, by MUDA.
Doubts Revealed
Congress -: Congress is one of the major political parties in India. It has been around for a long time and has had many leaders who have become Prime Ministers of India.
Jairam Ramesh -: Jairam Ramesh is a senior leader in the Congress party. He has held various important positions in the government and is known for his work in environmental and economic policies.
Karnataka -: Karnataka is a state in the southern part of India. Its capital city is Bengaluru, which is also known as the tech hub of India.
CM Siddaramaiah -: CM Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The Chief Minister is like the head of the state government, similar to how the Prime Minister is the head of the country.
MUDA -: MUDA stands for Mysuru Urban Development Authority. It is an organization responsible for planning and developing the city of Mysuru in Karnataka.
Land Scam -: A land scam is when people illegally take or misuse land for their own benefit. In this case, it is about the illegal allotment of land.
Enforcement Directorate -: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering and illegal money transactions.
Money Laundering -: Money laundering is when people try to hide where their money came from, usually because it was earned illegally. They make it look like the money came from a legal source.
Delhi -: In this context, ‘Delhi’ refers to the central government of India, which is based in New Delhi, the capital city of India.
Mysuru Lokayukta -: The Mysuru Lokayukta is an anti-corruption organization in the city of Mysuru. It investigates complaints of corruption and misuse of power by public officials.
Rs 56 crore -: Rs 56 crore is a large amount of money. One crore is equal to 10 million, so 56 crore is 560 million rupees.