Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Friday, September 28, criticised Congress after an FIR was lodged against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA case. “Where is Rahul Gandhi, let him come to Karnataka. Let him come here and deliver a speech that his Congress government is corruption-free. No one is opening their mouths after the lodging of FIR,” he said.
He added that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge being a senior leader is also tight-lipped like Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. “Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala has gone missing. It is proved that there is a corrupt government in Karnataka,” he said.
He said that the Karnataka High Court and Supreme Court have upheld decisions against CM Siddaramaiah and ordered FIR, adding that the Lokayukta has lodged cases under various sections including 420. “There is no reason as such for Siddaramaiah not to tender his resignation,” Ashoka stated.
“We are demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He controls all departments and how can investigations be conducted against him by those who are under him? The Chief Minister has powers to transfer and post senior police officers. The Home Minister can only transfer and post officers of the rank of police inspectors and below. The Lokayukta SP in Mysuru who is probing the case is posted by the Chief Minister,” he pointed out.
He said that in the history of Karnataka, no Chief Minister has continued in their positions after such allegations. “Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa submitted resignation when the Lokayukta filed an FIR against him”, Ashoka stated.
He added that the Late CM Ramkrishna Hegde submitted his resignation merely after surfacing allegations against him before the filing of the FIR. “We can’t draw a parallel to Delhi's former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,” Ashoka stated.
“Our state has got higher standards. The chief ministers of this state have resigned after the surfacing of allegations against them traditionally. The Lokayukta after dilly-dallying for three days have finally lodged the FIR against Siddaramaiah. The complainant Snehamayi Krishna has openly expressed his displeasure over the response of the Lokayukta even after the court judgement,” Ashoka stated.
He said that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi criticised us as a 40 per cent government during the election campaign. “They maintained that if the Congress government is formed, they will deliver a corruption-free administration. What happened now,” Ashoka questioned.
He also said that in the last 14 months, a minister has resigned in the Rs 187 crore scam, “Now, the case has been lodged against the Chief Minister and his entire family. This is peculiar. What Rahul Gandhi is going to speak in other states while delivering speeches.”
He said that they came to power after branding us as corrupt. “No charges have been proved against us in the last 14 months. It is also proved that 40 per cent of allegations against us are also false. The person from the Karnataka Contractors’ Association who made a 40 per cent corruption allegation against us, had announced that the Congress is an 80 per cent corrupt government,” he stated.