Bangalore: Reacting to Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot's decision to approve the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam, UP Congress chief Ajay Rai accused the BJP of orchestrating a conspiracy to undermine the Congress government.
Ajay Rai asserted, "This is a conspiracy by the BJP aimed at weakening the Congress government wherever it is in power. How many scams did BJP's former Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa oversee? Despite the 40 percent commission allegations, nothing was done. The BJP is attempting to harass and defame the Congress."
Rai further alleged that the governor's actions were directed by the central government, stating, "During the Lok Sabha elections in Varanasi, governors and the Lieutenant Governor were campaigning for PM Modi, showing a lack of respect for their positions. This indicates that the Governor is acting on instructions from the Centre."
On August 17, the Karnataka Governor's Secretariat issued an order detailing the decision to grant sanction for the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 218 of the Bharathiya Nagarika Suraksha Samhitha, 2023, in relation to the alleged offences highlighted in petitions.
In response, Siddaramaiah criticized the decision, saying, "The Governor's permission for prosecution against me contradicts the Constitution. The Governor is supposed to uphold the Constitution, but instead, he is acting as an agent of the Central Government and the BJP."
The complaint against Siddaramaiah, filed by social activist Snehamayi Krishna, alleges that the Chief Minister and nine others forged documents to claim compensation from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Siddaramaiah has refuted these allegations, stating, "In the MUDA case, everything was conducted according to the law. I did not influence the plot allotment. My wife received a replacement plot in 2021 during the BJP government, following legal procedures."
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