Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the Chamundeshwari temple on Thursday to participate in the inauguration of the 10-day Dussehra festival in Mysuru. Along with offering puja to Goddess Chamundeshwari, the Chief Minister attended the inaugural ceremony, where noted writer Hampa Nagarajaiah, the event’s chief guest, officially launched the grand festivities by lighting a ceremonial lamp and showering flowers on the idol of the Goddess.
Several high-profile political figures, including Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and ministers H K Patil, K Venkatesh, and Dr H C Mahadevappa, were also present for the occasion.
MUDA Land Scam Investigation Continues
Siddaramaiah’s visit to the temple coincides with an ongoing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into his alleged involvement in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam. The scam involves allegations that the Chief Minister’s wife, Parvathi, was unlawfully allotted 14 prime plots in Mysuru city by MUDA. The plots, valued at Rs 56 crore, have become the focus of the probe, with the Mysuru Lokayukta officially initiating an inquiry following a court order to file an FIR on September 27.
In response to the allegations, Siddaramaiah’s wife has offered to surrender the plots to the MUDA Commissioner, while the Chief Minister has maintained his innocence. He asserted that the land in question was gifted to his wife by her brother and that MUDA had encroached upon it. He emphasized that his wife never specified the location of the plots, and the sites in Vijayanagara were allotted without her explicit request.
Chief Minister Denounces BJP Amid Allegations
Facing mounting political pressure, Siddaramaiah took aim at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the party of using the scam to fuel political conflict. He dismissed the allegations of money laundering as irrelevant to his case and claimed that his wife’s actions were motivated by a desire to avoid controversy. Additionally, he accused the BJP of aligning with the ideology of Nathuram Godse and called on the public to resist the party’s efforts to shape India according to Godse’s principles.
The investigation into the MUDA land allotment scam continues, with political tensions running high in Karnataka as the Chief Minister defends himself against these charges.