‘CM Siddaramaiah demanded Rs. 62 crore for his 14 MUDA sites but sold 3,667 acres Govt. land for Rs. 52 crore’

Mysore/Mysuru: Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) A.H. Vishwanath has launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing him of demanding Rs. 62 crore for his 14 sites sanctioned by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) while selling the Government’s fertile 3,667 acres of mining land to Jindal South West (JSW) Steel for a mere Rs. 52 crore.

Speaking at a press conference at Jaladarshini Guest House in Mysuru yesterday, Vishwanath revealed that the 3,667 acres of land, rich in valuable iron and minerals, was sold at a shockingly low rate of Rs. 1.20 lakh per acre. He further alleged that the land, with a yield of 62 percent best ores, was sold unilaterally to Jindal, describing the deal as a colossal undervaluation.

Vishwanath highlighted that a 2017 report from the Department of Survey and Land Records and the Law Department had recommended that the land’s sale be based on the quantity of ore present.

Lack of transparency

However, he claimed that the Government bypassed this recommendation, leasing out the land arbitrarily to suit their convenience. He expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in determining the price, which has raised serious suspicions. He said that the issue should be placed before the Cabinet Joint Select Committee before taking any decision.

“This anti-people policy will cost the State Exchequer crores of rupees,” Vishwanath warned, questioning how it is justifiable for Siddaramaiah to demand Rs. 62 crore for 14 personal sites unlawfully acquired from MUDA while undervaluing fertile mining land at just Rs. 52 crore.

He urged that Government assets, being the people’s assets, should not be sold off in haste and insisted that such decisions must be scrutinised by a Joint Select Committee. Vishwanath concluded that Siddaramaiah owes an explanation to the public.

Targets Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh

The controversy in MUDA has deepened with Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh allegedly arriving by helicopter to take away all files related to MUDA site distribution to alter the records. Vishwanath questioned why MUDA requires such heavy security.

He noted that MUDA needs Rs. 5 crore monthly just for salary expenses, and Rs. 10 crore has been spent in the past two months alone with no visible progress. He further criticised the creation of a One-Man Commission by Siddaramaiah to probe the MUDA scam, operating from Kumara Krupa Guest House in Bengaluru, which has already cost Rs. 1.5 crore for just a desk and chair.

Pro-Government writers

Vishwanath also demanded the release of the Kempaiah Commission Report, alleging that if made public, it would severely tarnish Siddaramaiah’s reputation.

He took aim at the writers and littérateurs, who condemned the permission granted by the Governor for the prosecution of the CM, labelling them as Government-affiliated and under the administration’s influence. He emphasised that true intellectuals should have the courage to call out wrongdoings without fear or favour.