Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Lohiya, on Friday, July 5, questioned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is demanding a hefty compensation of Rs 62 crores from his own government in order to return the 14 alternative sites that was allotted to his wife Parvathi by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Siddaramaiah had alleged that more than three acres of his wife’s land was encroached upon by MUDA and 38,284 sq ft was allotted to her as an alternative, in upscale Vijayanagara III Stage Mysuru in 2021. However, the BJP recently implicated Siddaramiah in the scam and has been demanding his resignation.
On Friday, CM Siddaramaiah made an offer to return the 14 alternative sites allotted to his wife Parvathi by MUDA if she is paid the market value of the properties. "My land's market value is Rs 62 crore. If MUDA is ready to pay that much, we will surrender the sites," Siddaramaiah said, rejecting BJP's demand for a CBI probe.
Siddaramaiah alleged the 3-acre-16-gunta land was encroached upon by Muda without "official acquisition", and the sites allotted to his wife totalling 38,284 sq ft in upscale Vijayanagara III Stage Mysuru, as compensation were significantly lower in value than the land they lost. "MUDA has accepted its mistake. In such cases, Muda must give the same extent of land. On their request, we agreed to get the sites," Siddaramaiah explained. The CM reiterated the sites were allotted to his wife in 2021 when BJP's Basavaraj Bommai was CM.
Lahar Singh Siroya expressed surprise that Siddaramiah demanded money from his own government.
“It is unbelievable and shocking that Shri Siddaramaiah has said that he will surrender the questionably allotted sites if MUDA gives him market value compensation. However, I cannot understand why the Chief Minister is jumping the gun. Before demanding further compensation shouldn’t it be first ascertained if the allocation of sites was itself legal? Shouldn’t it be investigated first as to how much the Chief Minister’s family has been favoured in comparison to ordinary people, no matter which government helped him?,” he added.
He further added that Siddaramaiah “should not be afraid to hand over the case to the CBI or some independent agency that is not under him directly or indirectly”. “This massive scam should be handled independently. Since he is Chief Minister he cannot be both prosecutor and judge. Some of my senior party leaders have suggested that he should resign. Perhaps he should consider it,” he said.