BJP-JD(S) continues protest march against MUDA scam; targets Cong govt, CM

Ramanagara (Karnataka): The combined Opposition, BJP and JD(S), on Sunday continued their week-long protest march from Bengaluru to Mysuru for the second day, against alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment scam seeking to corner the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The ‘Mysuru Chalo’ padayatre (foot march) — against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, and demanding his resignation — on its second day, began at Bidadi here, and is scheduled to cover a distance of 22 km to reach Kengal.

BJP State President and MLA B Y Vijayendra, JD(S) State President and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Opposition Leader in Legislative Council Chalavadhi Narayanswamy, JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy, also several legislators, leaders and workers from both parties took part as the march began at Bidadi today.

A large number of workers and leaders from both parties were seen marching, shouting slogans against CM Siddaramaiah and the Congress government led by him, holding BJP and JD(S) party flags and placards, amidst sounds of drum beats.

The stretch through which the march passed was decked up with flags of both parties, buntings and portraits of prominent leaders at several places.

Kick-started on Saturday at Kengeri near Bengaluru, the march on its first day had covered a distance of 16 km to reach Bidadi.

In the MUDA ‘scam’, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been “acquired” by the MUDA.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.

Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.

BJP leaders have claimed that the MUDA “scam” is of the magnitude of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.

The Congress government on July 14 constituted a single-member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the MUDA ‘scam’.

Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had issued “show-cause notice” on July 26 directing the Chief Minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days as to why permission for prosecution should not be granted against him.

The Karnataka government on Thursday “strongly advised” the Governor to withdraw his “show-cause notice” to the Chief Minister, and alleged “gross misuse of the Constitutional Office ‘ of the Governor. The council of Ministers after their meeting had said a concerted effort is being made to destabilise a lawfully elected majority government in Karnataka for political considerations.