Cabinet resolved to advise governor to withdraw show cause notice to CM in MUDA scam: Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 1 (ANI): Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Thursday that the Cabinet has resolved to advise Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot to withdraw the show cause issued to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

Briefing the media on the Cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha, he said, “The Cabinet discussed threadbare the issue of issuance of show cause notice to the Chief Minister by the Governor. Taking note of the entire factual matrix as well as the well-settled legal position, the Cabinet has unanimously resolved to advise the Governor to withdraw the show cause notice.”

“There is neither any investigation nor any evidence to suggest that the Chief Minister is involved in the MUDA irregularities. How can a democratically elected chief minister be accused in such a scenario? This is a conspiracy to bring down a chief minister who came to power with a massive majority. This is a murder of democracy,” he added.

“Everyone knows the background of the petitioner, TJ Abraham, who has criminal antecedents. We know how many petitions he has filed against several leaders and we are also aware that the Supreme Court even fined him. The governor is trying to destabilise a democratically elected government in the state based on the petition of a person with criminal antecedents,” he said.

“Based on media reports, the Governor had sought a report from the Chief Secretary on July 15 on the MUDA irregularities. The letter from the governor also sought to initiate a judicial inquiry into the alleged irregularities. Taking serious cognizance of the governor’s letter, the chief minister set up a judicial commission under the chairmanship of Justice PN Desai to investigate the case. The petitioner, Abraham, files his petition with the governor on July 26. The chief secretary also sent a report regarding this on the same day. But the governor has issued a show cause notice without taking into consideration the report sent by the chief secretary,” he explained.

“Why is the governor acting in haste? A mere filing of a complaint is not enough, evidence is needed before proceeding with any action. But in this case, the governor has issued a show cause notice even before any investigation is initiated. Isn’t this a murder of democracy,” he said.

“Chief Minister’s brother-in-law purchased the said land five years after de-notification and gifted it to his sister through a gift deed. The MUDA has used this piece of the land without re-notifying it. This land was issued to others. Hence, CM’s wife asked for compensation from Muda. Realising the mistake, Muda decided to issue compensation on a 50:50 basis. When this decision was taken, all the members of Muda were from the Opposition parties including G T Deve Gowda and Ramadas except a couple of them, who were from Congress. All these things happened during the BJP rule,” he explained.

“The Supreme Court had ordered 50 per cent compensation in another case in Mysuru. The Urban Development Department has also formulated a bylaw regarding this, which is currently in effect. The Chief Minister’s wife, Parvathamma, has never asked for sites in a specific layout. It was MUDA’s decision to allot sites in a particular layout. Parvathamma has every right to seek compensation, what crime has been committed in this?” he questioned.

“The issue came up in media two years ago, why did the BJP not talk about it then? BJP can’t try to remove a sitting Chief minister like this. This government is formed with the people’s support and BJP can’t destabilise it,” he said.

“The petitioner Abraham has filed complaints against many leaders including B S Yediyurappa. How many people have been convicted in those cases? There is not even a single proof of irregularity here. In this backdrop, we have decided to advise the Governor to withdraw the show cause notice and dismiss the complaint of the petitioner,” he detailed.

Asked what the government would do if the governor didn’t heed the Cabinet’s advice, he said, “We are confident that the governor will consider the merits of our advice and withdraw the notice. There is legal precedence, the governor will have to tread carefully. The governor will have to take steps that are befitting the position of the governor.”

Asked about the meeting with the High Command, he said, “The senior leaders are aware that there is no irregularity in this, but this issue was not discussed. We discussed the goings on in the state and ways to strengthen the party in the state.”

Asked if there would be partisan treatment of the case as the CM’s wife is involved, he replied, “She can’t lose her right to compensation just because she is the wife of a CM. She has never identified herself in public, though her husband has been in public life for over four decades. She has every right to claim her compensation.”