The Opposition BJP and JD(S) have demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, close on the heels of the Karnataka High Court dismissing his petition challenging the permission granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot in the MUDA case.
“It is now clear that prima facie a case has been made out against the Chief Minister. Mr. Siddaramaiah should uphold the dignity of his post by immediately resigning on moral grounds,” BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra told mediapersons minutes after the pronouncement of the order by the court.
Padayatra impact
“The Chief Minister should show respect towards the order of the High Court by immediately tendering resignation. If he fails to do so, we will discuss in the party about the future course of action,” he said. Referring to the campaign taken up by the Opposition BJP and JD(S) against alleged irregularities in MUDA and Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, Mr. Vijayendra described the verdict of the High Court as the first victory for the Opposition.
Meanwhile, in a statement on X, the JD(S) said it was “shameful” that the Chief Minister was insisting on hanging on to his post despite the verdict of the High Court. “He should resign for misusing power and indulging in corruption,” the party said. “Walk the talk on this issue as you often say,” the party said. The NDA partner also called the court verdict “a victory for the Mysuru Chalo agitation”.
Also read | MUDA case LIVE: Karnataka High Court dismisses CM Siddaramaiah’s petition
Mr. Vijayendra, at the press meet, accused the Chief Minister of trying to escape from the law by constituting a judicial commission to look into alleged irregularities in MUDA, and also evading a debate on the issue in the legislature.
“Even when the Governor gave sanction for prosecution based on private complaints, the Chief Minister challenged the order in the Karnataka High Court. After a detailed order, the court dismissed his petition and upheld the action of the Governor. Hence, Mr. Siddaramaiah should immediately quit without any further delay,” he said.
“The claim of the Chief Minister about providing corruption-free governance has collapsed,” Mr. Vijayendra said, and described him as “tainted”.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok too demanded the immediate resignation of the Chief Minister. He termed the court’s verdict as a crack of the whip against the Congress that had launched an attack at the Governor.
BJP MLC C. T. Ravi (centre) sharing his views with mediapersons in Shivamogga on the verdict of the Karnataka High Court on an appeal by Chief Minister challenging the sanction for prosecution by the Governor over allegations of irregularities in allocation of MUDA sites, on September 24, 2024. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
BJP MLC C.T. Ravi also demanded a public apology from the Congress for attacking the Governor and issuing allegedly intimidating statements against the Raj Bhavan.
The BJP workers held demonstrations in many parts of Karnataka demanding the Chief Minister’s resignation.
BJP State co-in-charge Sudhakar Reddy warned that people would not tolerate Mr. Siddaramaiah continuing in his post.
In Shivamogga, BJP Member of Parliament B.Y. Raghavendra demanded that Siddaramaiah should resign as Chief Minister taking moral responsibility and to ensure a fair probe into the alleged scam.
Mr. Raghavendra said the High Court had upheld the Governor’s approval for investigation against the CM. “The court’s verdict has shown that everybody is equal before the law. Automatically, an FIR will be filed against him. As he is an accused, he should respect the law by keeping himself away from the office of power. Hence, he should resign as CM. I hope he will do that,” he said.
“During the trial, the matter would be brought up in detail. I pray to the gods that he is blessed with the strength to come out of the allegations with a clean slate. However, as he is an accused now, he should create an environment for a fair probe by resigning,” the Lok Sabha member said.
Protest in Mysuru by BJP
In Mysuru, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters staged a demonstration in front of the party office demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, MLA T. S. Srivatsa, former MLAs L. Nagendra, Mahesh, Niranjan Kumar and workers of the party gathered at the BJP office after the court verdict. They claimed that the court verdict is a victory for the party’s fight for justice. They cited the padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru against the CM over the MUDA case.
Mr Narayanaswamy said the CM should have resigned when the accusations were made against him and faced an investigation. In view of the court’s verdict, the time has come for him to resign. “The CM has to respect the verdict and step down,” he demanded.
“Being the CM, you could have come up with an answer when the accusations were levelled. Instead, he and the Congress party accused the Governor’s office of acting on the BJP’s behest following the approval for Mr Siddaramaiah’s prosecution in the MUDA case,” he said.
He urged the CM to step down and face the investigation. “If you come clean in the case, you can once again become the CM, and we shall welcome it,” he said, while addressing the protesters.
Former MLA Mahesh said, “While facing an investigation, Mr Siddaramaiah cannot continue as the CM, and therefore he has to resign. Being an advocate, Mr Siddaramaiah is aware of the law and should step down following the verdict.”
In Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Captain Brijesh Chowta said that the HC verdict has exposed the ‘true colour’ of the CM.
Capt. Chowta said, “Mr. Siddaramaiah was claiming that his political life is an open book without any black marks. The court’s verdict is an indication that there were irregularities in the allotment of MUDA sites. Hence the Chief Minister should quit respecting the law and people of Karnataka.”
The Member of Parliament said that the verdict is a victory for the BJP’s fight against corruption.
Capt. Chowta said that Mr. Siddaramaiah should have quit when the Governor approved his prosecution. “The Governor had given his consent after consulting legal experts. Even after the court’s verdict, Mr. Siddaramaiah is clinging to his chair for the sake of power.”
Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath said that the Chief Minister should respect the court’s verdict by quitting. “The verdict is a victory for truth,” he said.
President of Udupi district BJP Kishore Kumar Kundapura said that the Chief Minister should face an inquiry and cooperate by quitting. “Dilly-dallying on resigning is disrespect to the judiciary and the Constitution.”
He accused the CM of ‘pushing Karnataka to the brink of bankruptcy by playing with the feelings of people for the sake of power’.
“Now people have realised that it is impossible for him to come out of the clutches of the law, as his government is embroiled in several controversies and scams.”
President of BJP’s Dakshina Kannada Yuva Morcha Nandan Mallya said that if the Chief Minister and the Congress respect democracy, Mr. Siddaramaiah should resign. “The court’s verdict is a victory of the organised fight of the BJP against the Congress government’s corruption,” he said.
Published - September 24, 2024 01:37 pm IST
