Host of leaders taken into preventive custody

Bengaluru: The Karnataka BJP attempted to besiege Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s residence in Bengaluru this morning over the handling of the multi-crore Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation case and Rs. 4,000 crore worth alternative sites scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in which one of the beneficiaries is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi.

The BJP demanded the resignation of CM over the issue. The protesters were, however, stopped from nearing the CM’s Home Office ‘Krishna’ and the official residence ‘Anugraha’ on Kumara Krupa Road and taken into preventive custody.

The protest march began at 9:30 am from Kumara Krupa Guest House and culminated metres ahead of CM’s Home Office. The party leaders, including BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka, former Ministers S. Sunil Kumar, Araga Jnanendra, S. Suresh Kumar, Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan and C.T. Ravi were accompanied by several MLAs and a large number of party workers.

Due to heavy deployment of Police forces, BJP leaders could not reach their destination and were taken under preventive custody. The party also charged that, there were attempts to cover up over Rs 180 crore Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam, which forced Accounts Superintendent P. Chandrasekharan to die by suicide.

There is rampant corruption going on in the Congress Government. The MUDA scam in the CM’s home district Mysuru is much bigger than the scam in the Valmiki Corporation, Vijayendra told reporters before being taken into preventive custody.

Ashoka demanded that, the Government should hand over the MUDA scam to CBI instead of assigning the case to a panel of IAS officers to probe the matter.

“Until the scam is taken to its logical conclusion and Siddaramaiah resigns, the BJP won’t stop agitating,” Ashoka said.

“CM Siddaramaiah is directly involved in the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation’s multi-crore scandal. He should tender his resignation, taking moral responsibility. “If CM Siddaramaiah doesn’t resign, the agitation will grow stronger. The role of former minister B. Nagendra is miniscule. CM Siddaramaiah is directly behind the scandal. The scam can’t occur without CM’s knowledge,” Ashoka stated. “CM Siddaramaiah gave money to Rahul Gandhi and company to save his  chair,” Ashoka alleged.