‘CM Siddaramaiah does not know how to maintain good relations with Centre’

Mysore/Mysuru: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK) strongly criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for establishing a One-Man Judicial Commission led by retired High Court Judge P.N. Desai to investigate the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) alternative sites allotment scam.

Kumaraswamy accused the CM of deliberately setting up this Commission to conceal the scam and protect his reputation.

Speaking at a press conference at Pathrakarthara Bhavan this morning, his first in the city since becoming a Union Minister, Kumaraswamy asserted that the commission was a blatant attempt to cover up the scam. He argued that the State Government had lost its moral authority to govern and stated that he had no objection if Siddaramaiah’s wife were to receive even 50 or 100 sites, provided it was done legally and in strict adherence to the rules.

Kumaraswamy alleged that Siddaramaiah’s wife had been allotted sites in complete violation of norms. He pointed out that the then Deputy Commissioner (DC) had declared a piece of land in Kesare, purchased by Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law Mallikarjunaswamy, as agricultural without even visiting the site.

He described the entire transaction concerning the land, originally owned by a person from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, as fraudulent, thereby causing injustice to the SC community.

Urging the government to rectify the wrongdoings in MUDA, Kumaraswamy asserted that both the JD(S) and the BJP would unitedly oppose the ruling Congress until the MUDA scam is fully addressed.

Fight with Centre

The Union Minister strongly condemned the Congress Government for instructing its officials not to attend his programs and meetings anywhere in the state. He asserted that the Centre had not treated Karnataka unfairly in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23.

Responding to opposition claims that the Centre favoured Andhra Pradesh and Bihar while neglecting opposition-ruled states, Kumaraswamy explained that a special package was being given to Andhra Pradesh following the state’s bifurcation ten years ago.

Kumaraswamy recalled the support provided by the Prime Minister when Kodagu was affected by floods during his tenure as Chief Minister in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

He questioned why Siddaramaiah had not fostered a similar cordial atmosphere now and criticised the Congress Government for blaming the Centre and State BJP MPs for everything.

“I want to ask the State Government what its duty is when it blames the Centre for everything. CM Siddaramaiah and his Cabinet should present the correct facts and figures to the Centre before seeking any help. It is not correct to blame the PM and the Centre when the State Government has failed in the discharge of its duties.”

Prepare a priority list

Kumaraswamy urged the State Government to prepare a priority list of projects and programs for urgent execution, expressing his commitment to advancing the state’s projects as a Union Minister.

He emphasized his dedication to the implementation of the Mekedatu project and criticized Congress for suggesting it could be completed overnight. He advised the Congress Government to organise a delegation to meet with Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin instead of holding all-party meetings, questioning whether the Siddaramaiah Government had ever engaged with the Tamil Nadu CM, who leads the DMK-Congress coalition government there.

Reiterating his commitment to preventing any injustice to the state, the Union Minister stressed that the State Government should discuss the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu on technical terms.

Present at the press meet were Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, JD(S) Legislature Party Leader C.B. Suresh Babu, MLA G.D. Harish Gowda, MLCs C.N. Manjegowda and K. Vivekananda, former MLAs S.R. Mahesh, K. Mahadev, M. Ashwin Kumar, and other leaders.