Following the Karnataka High Court‘s dismissal of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging the Governor’s approval for an investigation into the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has called for a CBI inquiry. He also urged Siddaramaiah to step down as the Chief Minister to allow for an impartial investigation.
Joshi pointed to the illegal allocation of over 500 to 1000 sites, many of which were distributed in recent months, as grounds for a thorough investigation. “This is a huge scam, and it cannot happen without political influence. Therefore, I strongly urge the Chief Minister to resign,” Joshi stated, calling the High Court’s ruling an “eye-opener” for the Congress-led government.
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP MP Jagadish Shettar insisted that Siddaramaiah resign on moral grounds, citing the involvement of both the CM and his wife in the alleged scam. “An impartial investigation must begin, and for that, the Chief Minister must step down,” Shettar added.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra also reiterated the party’s stance, asserting that the Congress government has been mired in corruption. “The High Court’s decision is clear. All are equal before the law, and Siddaramaiah should resign,” Vijayendra said.
In response, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed the resignation calls, labeling them a political conspiracy by the BJP. “The Chief Minister has done nothing wrong, and this is an attempt to create problems for opposition leaders,” Shivakumar said. He emphasized that the Congress stands firmly behind Siddaramaiah and respects the legal process.
The Karnataka High Court’s dismissal of Siddaramaiah’s petition clears the way for an investigation into the alleged illegalities surrounding the allotment of 14 sites by MUDA to the Chief Minister’s wife. Justice Nagaprasanna, who delivered the verdict, stated that the Governor’s approval for prosecution does not suffer from non-application of mind.
