BJP members staged protest rallies in several districts seeking the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accusing him of involvement in the alleged MUDA scam.
In Dharwad, MLA Arvind Bellad and other leaders staged a protest demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. They raised slogans against the Chief Minister and demanded that he step down from his post immediately.
They also accused some Congress leaders like MLA Ivan D’souza of insulting the Governor and sought action against them. They said that it is unfortunate that the Congress leaders are targeting the Governor as he belonged to suppressed classes.
Mr. Bellad said that the Congress is involved in several scams. “First, it was the Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation scam wherein funds to the tune of ₹187 crore were transferred to various accounts in Telangana to help the Congress in that State elections. Now, the Chief Minister is caught in the MUDA scam. These two scams have shown the real face of Siddaramaiah who has been claiming that he maintains a clean image in public life,” he said.
He said that allowing prosecution is not an overnight decision nor a move of political vengeance. It has been decided based on complaints filed by social activists, a detailed study of the evidence presented and after consultation with legal experts. The Governor has sanctioned prosecution against the Chief Minister based on strong evidence of wrongdoing, Mr. Bellad said.
“However, the Chief Minister’s supporters are unable to tolerate this. They are abusing the Governor, who is a Constitutional authority. They are carrying out his mock funerals and insulting him. This is unacceptable,” he said.
“This also proves that the Congress is anti-suppressed classes,” he added.
He also complained that though such acts are being carried out in the presence of the police, the latter are not acting against the Congress workers or stopping them. He demanded that the Governor act tough against those using offensive language.
Leaders like Iresh Anchatgeri, district president Tippanna Majjagi, Shivu Hiremath, Mohan Ramdurg, Suresh Bedre, Shankar Shelke, Srinivas Kotyan, Roopa Bongale, Jyoti Patil and others were present.
In Bagalkot, protestors marched from the BJP office to the Deputy Commissioner’s office shouting slogans and holding placards. They demanded that the Chief Minister submit his resignation in view of the allegations of his involvement in the alleged MUDA and Valmiki corporation scams.
They also sought action against some Congress leaders who, they said, have insulted the Governor.
The protestors said that the State government has diverted funds meant for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, to the guarantee schemes.
MP P.C. Gaddigoudar said that the Chief Minister has used influence in getting land under MUDA de-notified and that he is involved in the diversion of funds in the Valmiki corporation.
The Chief Minister should have resigned already to allow a free and fair investigation. But that has not happened. The BJP will continue the protest till the Chief Minister resigns, he said.
Rajya Sabha member Narayana Bhande said that Mr. Siddaramaiah’s image of not having black spots in public life is false. “He has diverted government funds to elections in Karnataka and other States,” he said.
MLA Jagdish Gudgunti, MLC P.H. Pujara, BJP district president Shantagouda Patil, MLA Doddana Gowda Patil, district general secretary Raju Naykar, leaders M.S. Daddenavar, Mallaya Mooganuramath, Basavaraja Yankanchi, Shekhara Mane, Satyanarayana Hemadri, Arun Karajol, Shambhu Gouda Patil, Chandrakanta Kesanur, Sivananda Surapur, Raju Nayak, Satyanarayana Hemadri, Jyorthi Bhajantri, Savita Lenkennavar and others were present.
