Kumaraswamy slams Congress on MUDA issue

New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday slammed Congress for allegedly shielding Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA land case. 

“When the Governor granted permission for prosecution in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, Congress workers threw slippers at the Governor's photo. Now that the High Court has passed an order, who will they throw slippers at? Will they throw them at CM Siddaramaiah or someone else? Whose effigy will they burn,” Kumaraswamy said.

He added the Karnataka government has been a government of ‘looters’. “How can anyone forget the incident of looting of a gold merchant travelling in a Kerala bus in 2014? The incident took place when Congress was ruling is still fresh on people’s minds,” Kumaraswamy said.

Kumaraswamy said that in the MUDA case, the petition submitted by the Chief Minister to the High Court has been dismissed. 

“Copies of the court order are available to everyone. Many legal experts have analysed the verdict, and the media has extensively reported on it. But it seems that the Chief Minister has not received the court order yet,” Kumaraswamy said.

Referring to Siddaramaiah’s statement that he (Kumaraswamy) is out on bail and needs to resign, Kumaraswamy said there is a difference between the cases against him and Siddaramaiah's case.

“I will address the allegations against me later. There are court orders against you (Siddaramaiah) from the High Court and the Special Court for Elected Representatives. What do you have to say about that,” Kumaraswamy said.

He added that when the case was argued in the High Court, lawyers presented detailed evidence about the irregularities in the MUDA scam. 

“The court orders have come out. What do you have to say,” Kumaraswamy said.

"I have already addressed the Sai Venkateshwara Minerals case. The mine lease was granted to a company that did not apply. While they claim they applied, no lease was granted, and no land has been given to them. The state's treasury has not lost even a penny. In such a case, how can this be termed a scam," he said.

"The state government had clearly stated in 2009 that no land was given to anyone. They are accusing Kumaraswamy of a mistake made by some official. In the Jantakal Mining case, the then Chief Minister’s order was deemed a misconduct by the Lokayukta report.”

He added that Justice Santosh Hegde made a reference to it. However, the report clearly mentions that no money was taken, nor was any land given for profit.

The Union Minister further explained that the Sai Venkateshwara case has been in the Supreme Court since 2012.

"Everyone, from the Chief Minister to the Deputy Chief Minister, has been asking for my resignation. I’ve said I will speak after I am acquitted of the charges. They are themselves showing how hypocritical they are in the MUDA issue. The people are watching this drama," Kumaraswamy said.

"When Siddaramaiah was in power for five years, such irregularities were a daily occurrence, and I questioned them every day. He made conspiracies against me because I was standing in his way, thinking that if he got rid of me, there would be no obstacle to him. Now, I have to face this because I fought on behalf of the people. But I will face it bravely," the Union Minister said.

Regarding the de-notification issue, Kumaraswamy said, "Opposition is claiming that Rajasekharaiah was anonymous. What is the point of looking for the 2007 address now? Why didn't you investigate it when you were in power for five years? You have questioned my morality. I will respond to that challenge and prove my moral standing."

“They falsely claimed that the Gangenahalli land was government land. Has BDA paid compensation for the acquired land? Has a layout been formed there? Have any plots been distributed? A notification was issued in 1975-76, but no plots were made or distributed on the land that was acquired till 2007.”

The Union Minister said that the Supreme Court has ruled that if land acquired by the government is not used within five years, it must be returned to the farmers. 

"My brother-in-law bought that land. Is there a law that prohibits the sale of denotified land? I’ve told Siddaramaiah the same thing: if it’s illegal, take back not 15 but 50 plots from me," he said.