Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Responds to High Court Verdict on MUDA Scam Investigation
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 24: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded to the Karnataka High Court’s verdict dismissing his petition challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s approval for an investigation into the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. Siddaramaiah claimed that this is a political move by the BJP and JDS to undermine his government’s pro-poor initiatives.
Siddaramaiah stated, “BJP and JDS have resorted to political retaliation against me because I am pro-poor and fighting for social justice. This is a fight against the revenge politics of Narendra Modi-led BJP government.”
He emphasized his long political career, saying, “Throughout my 40 years of political life, I have faced such revenge and conspiracy politics and have been winning with the strength of the blessings and wishes of the people of the state. I am confident that I will win this fight with the strength of people’s blessings.”
Siddaramaiah noted the court’s rejection of the Governor’s order under Section 218 and expressed confidence that the truth would emerge soon, asserting, “The investigation under 17A will be cancelled.”
He pointed out that the complainant sought permission for investigation and prosecution under Section 218 BNSS, 17A, and 19 PC Act. However, the governor initially refused permission to prosecute as per 19 PC Act. In the recent judgment, the Karnataka High Court expressly rejected the prosecution permission granted by the Governor under Section 218 BNSS.
Siddaramaiah added, “I will not hesitate to investigate. I will consult with experts whether such an investigation is allowed under law or not. I will discuss with the legal experts and decide the outline of the fight.”
He further criticized opposition leaders for opposing welfare schemes during his tenure, claiming their calls for his resignation are driven by political retaliation. “These same BJP and JDS leaders have opposed the Annabhagya, Ksheera Bhagya, Ksheera Dhare, Vidyasiri, Krishibhagya, Pashubhagya, Indira Canteen schemes implemented when I was the first Chief Minister. The same leaders who are plotting against me today have opposed the SCSP/TSP Act,” Siddaramaiah said.
The Karnataka High Court dismissed Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging the approval given by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for conducting an investigation against him in the alleged illegalities in MUDA allotting sites to his wife. Justice Nagaprasanna stated that the order of sanction for prosecution does not suffer from non-application of mind by the Governor. It is alleged that MUDA illegally allotted 14 sites to Siddaramaiah’s wife in the prime location of Mysuru city. The High Court had previously granted temporary relief to Siddaramaiah by directing a special court in Bengaluru to defer further proceedings and not to take any precipitative action pursuant to the sanction granted by the Governor.
Doubts Revealed
Karnataka CM -: Karnataka CM means the Chief Minister of Karnataka, who is the head of the government in the Indian state of Karnataka.
Siddaramaiah -: Siddaramaiah is a politician and the current Chief Minister of Karnataka.
High Court -: The High Court is a major court in a state in India that deals with important legal cases.
Verdict -: A verdict is a decision made by a court.
MUDA -: MUDA stands for Mysuru Urban Development Authority, which is responsible for planning and development in the city of Mysuru.
Scam -: A scam is a dishonest scheme or fraud.
Petition -: A petition is a formal request made to a court or an authority.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot -: Thaawarchand Gehlot is the Governor of Karnataka, a position that represents the President of India in the state.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, a major political party in India.
JDS -: JDS stands for Janata Dal (Secular), another political party in India.
Political retaliation -: Political retaliation means taking revenge in politics, often by opposing someone’s actions or policies.
Pro-poor initiatives -: Pro-poor initiatives are programs or actions aimed at helping poor people.
Welfare schemes -: Welfare schemes are government programs designed to help people in need, like providing food, money, or healthcare.
