BJP leaders in Karnataka staged a protest in Mysuru seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged ‘MUDA scam’. The protesters marched towards the Chief Minister’s home district and besieged the office of the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Following heated interactions between the protesters and the police, the BJP leaders including President BY Vijayendra, and MLA Munirathna were arrested, but later released.
Tension unfolds
The leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, and former Deputy Chief Minister Ashwathnarayana arrived in Mysuru to participate in the protest. They were later taken into custody by the police from the venue.
“The Congress Government has acted like a dictator by arresting BJP leaders and workers. The anti-democratic attitude of this Government has been exposed”, said P Sudhakar Reddy, BJP state co-in-charge
What is ‘MUDA scam’?
Allegations have surfaced that Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, received compensatory sites in a prestigious area of Mysuru with higher property values, compared to the location of her land originally acquired by MUDA.
Under scrutiny is MUDA’s allocation of plots to Parvathi as part of a 50:50 ratio scheme, in exchange for 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA subsequently developed a residential layout. This scheme has sparked controversy for its allocation of 50 per cent of developed land to individuals losing property in exchange for undeveloped land acquired for layout formation.
‘Politically motivated’
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Siddaramaiah said: “The allegations are politically motivated, they are jealous because Siddaramaiah who belongs to a backward class community has become the Chief Minister for a second time. They are conspiring against me.”
The scheme was initially introduced in 2009 but was terminated by the BJP government in 2020. Despite this decision, MUDA continued to implement the scheme without obtaining approval from the BJP government during that period.
The allotments did not stop even after two government orders within the past six months instructing MUDA to stop allotting sites under the 50:50 scheme until clear guidelines were issued.
The controversy intensified as claims alleged the CM’s wife was a beneficiary of these alleged irregularities. BJP leaders R Ashoka and C.T Ravi have accused MUDA of allocating alternative sites in upscale areas of Mysuru to influential figures, including Parvathi Siddaramaiah. According to the BJP, she received these sites in exchange for land she surrendered in Mysuru for residential layout development.
After a series of complaints, the Karnataka Congress government has ordered an inquiry into the functioning of the MUDA scheme and put on hold all allotments under it.
In an unrelated development, former Congress MLA from Ballari Rural Constituency, B Nagendra was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam case related to the embezzlement of ₹88 crore.
