Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Slams BJP Over Alleged Raj Bhavan Misuse in MUDA 'Scam'

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused BJP and JD(S) of misusing Raj Bhavan to disrupt his government, amid his prosecution in the MUDA land 'scam'. He expressed faith in the judiciary and vowed to fight what he called BJP's 'vendetta politics', asserting his government’s efforts for social justice.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused the BJP and JD(S) of misusing Raj Bhavan to level false accusations and disrupt the state government. This comes amid Siddaramaiah's prosecution in the alleged MUDA land scam.

In a strongly worded post on X, the Chief Minister accused the BJP of engaging in 'revenge politics' and emphasized his confidence in the judicial system. Siddaramaiah stated he would consult legal experts to assess the legality of the investigation against him.

'I have learned about the High Court's order through media reports. A formal response will follow after thoroughly reading the full judgement. However, it is clear that the court has dismissed the prosecution granted by the Governor under Section 218 of the BNSS Act. The honourable judge limited the decision only to Section 17(A). I have no objection to any investigation, but I will consult legal experts to determine whether such an investigation is legally valid. After these discussions, I will decide the next steps in this legal battle,' stated Siddaramaiah.

He added that the complainant had sought investigation and prosecution under Sections 218 of the BNSS Act, 17(A), and 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. 'The Governor initially rejected the request for prosecution under Section 19. Today, the Honourable Court clearly rejected the prosecution approval granted under Section 218 BNSS Act. I am confident that, in due time, the truth will emerge, and the investigation under Section 17(A) will also be dismissed,' Siddaramaiah said.

Siddaramaiah further said he believes the charges are politically motivated, aiming to obstruct his pro-poor policies. 'They have launched political retribution against me because they can't bear to see the pro-people schemes we have introduced. But I have unwavering faith in the law and our Constitution. Ultimately, the truth will prevail in this fight,' he declared.

He claimed BJP and JD(S) target him because he stands for the poor and fights for social justice. He remained defiant, asserting he would emerge stronger from this battle, bolstered by the people's mandate and his 40-year political career. Siddaramaiah urged the people of Karnataka to see through what he termed as fabricated allegations in the MUDA case.

'The BJP has never gained a clear majority in Karnataka on its own; they have only come to power through unethical means like Operation Lotus. Today, frustrated by their defeat, BJP and JD(S) are misusing Raj Bhavan to make false accusations and disrupt our government. But we will fight this legal battle and emerge stronger,' he said.

The Karnataka High Court dismissed Siddaramaiah's petition challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's approval for an investigation into alleged illegalities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority's (MUDA) allotting sites to his wife. The court stated the order of sanction for prosecution did not suffer from non-application of mind by the Governor.

(With inputs from agencies.)