MUDA Land Scam: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Faces Probe, Counterattacks HD Kumaraswamy

MUDA Land Scam: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is under a lot of pressure to step down because of allegations related to the Mysuru land scam. However, instead of giving in, Siddaramaiah fought back on Friday by criticizing HD Kumaraswamy, a key leader of the Janata Dal Secular (JDS) party.

Why Siddaramaiah Called Out HD Kumaraswamy

Siddaramaiah questioned why there are no similar calls for HD Kumaraswamy to step down, despite the ongoing FIR against him. "Which government does HD Kumaraswamy belong to? There is an FIR against him... why hasn't he resigned yet? He's a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet," Siddaramaiah remarked. The FIR claims that Kumaraswamy provided false information before the Lok Sabha elections.

HD Kumaraswamy currently serves as the Union Heavy Industries Minister and wasted no time responding to Siddaramaiah’s remarks. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kumaraswamy mocked Siddaramaiah and reminded him of his past actions when he tried to limit the powers of the Lokayukta, Karnataka's anti-corruption body, by establishing the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Mr. @siddaramaiah..
Ughe Ughe to your 'Sidvilasa'

Then: To escape from scams, you build a 'samadhi' for Lokayukta and formed ACB!

Now: The same Lokayukta is a place you found to get rid of 'Mudahagaran'!!

Isn't it Karma Mr siddaramaiah?
ACB was also dismissed by the High Court…

— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 27, 2024

HD Kumaraswamy's Counterattack on Siddaramaiah

Kumaraswamy further criticized Siddaramaiah for now attempting to ensure that the Lokayukta, not the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), handles the inquiry against him. He took a jab at Siddaramaiah, calling it "karma" as the High Court had once dismissed the ACB, which Siddaramaiah had attempted to create to weaken the Lokayukta.

Siddaramaiah Under Pressure but Defiant

Despite pressure from the BJP, JDS, and even some members of his own party, Siddaramaiah remains defiant. He has denied any wrongdoing in the Mysuru land scam and is determined to fight the legal battle. On Thursday, after a special court directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months, Siddaramaiah declared, "I am not afraid... I will fight this legally."

The court's decision comes just after the High Court quashed Siddaramaiah's challenge against Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's sanction to prosecute him.

Prime Minister Modi's Criticism of Karnataka's Congress Government

Adding to Siddaramaiah's woes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Haryana, made sharp comments about the Congress government in Karnataka. In response, Siddaramaiah posted on X, saying, "Don't throw stones while sitting in a glass house," accusing Modi of ignoring internal party conflicts.

Prime Minister @narendramodi, in his usual reckless manner, has claimed there is infighting within the Karnataka Congress. It seems the PM has either misread or deliberately twisted the recent media reports, confusing BJP’s internal chaos with Congress. I demand that he…

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 26, 2024

The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam involves claims that Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, was given multiple plots of land in Mysuru as compensation for other land taken for infrastructure projects. This land exchange is said to have cost the state ₹4,000 crore, but Siddaramaiah strongly denies these claims and believes the courts will prove his innocence.

CBI's Role in the Case

Even though some are calling for a CBI investigation, Siddaramaiah’s government insists the inquiry will be handled by the Mysuru branch of the Lokayukta. To stop the CBI from getting involved, the state government has taken away its general permission to operate in Karnataka.

Law Minister HK Patil explained that this decision was made due to concerns about central agencies being misused, not directly because of the land scam case.