Not afraid of malicious criticism, says CM as oppn attacks his govt

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: With opposition parties targeting his government over alleged financial irregularities in a state-run corporation in both Houses of Karnataka legislature and planning to raise the Mysuru Urban Development Authority 'scam' issue, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he has answers to their "every word" and it is not in his nature to sit quietly, afraid of politically malicious criticism.

He also accused BJP and JD(S) of adopting "hit and run" tactics by lying before the media, and asserted that it will not be allowed in the House.

"How true are the allegations of the opposition? How much lies? We will bring it to light in this House. It is not in my nature to sit quietly, afraid of politically malicious criticism," Siddaramaiah said in a post.

"BJP and JD(S) leaders, I have an answer for every word of yours. It's not like lying before the media so far, standing somewhere far away and shooting a bullet in the air. This is the House, your hit and run has no place here," he added.

The illegal money transfer issue, involving Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, came to the fore, after its accounts superintendent, Chandrashekhar P, died by suicide on May 26, leaving behind a death note.

The note alleged unauthorised transfer of Rs 187 crore belonging to the Corporation from its bank account, and from that, Rs 88.62 crore was illegally moved to various accounts allegedly belonging to "wellknown" IT companies and a Hyderabad-based cooperative bank among others.

Following allegations against him in connection with the scam, Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra tendered his resignation on June 6.

He is currently under Enforcement Directorate custody. The MUDA case is linked to fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by the Authority, which involves plots given to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.

The scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts. BJP and JD(S) have demanded for Siddaramaiah's resignation and CBI probe into both these cases.

Reacting to BJP demanding CM's resignation in connection with the MUDA case, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said: "let them raise their issue in the Assembly, we will respond to it, whether it is MUDA or any other case."