Karnataka Governor seeks 'response' from CM Siddaramaiah on MUDA 'scam'

Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot has sought a "response" from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to allegations relating to the distribution of sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, including to his wife Parvathi, sources in the Congress government said on Wednesday.

The move comes after a delegation of BJP legislators met the Governor on July 25 and submitted to him a memorandum seeking transfer of the MUDA case to CBI for a probe and resignation of the Chief Minister.

“Since a memorandum is submitted, it is imperative for the Governor to seek a reply from the Chief Minister. Accordingly, the Governor has asked the Chief Minister to respond to it,” sources in Raj Bhavan said.

Referring to the Governor's action, Home Minister G Parameshwara said there is reason to believe that it was politically motivated.

“He (Gehlot) has been given some Constitutional powers. He should function within its framework. It will give rise to doubts if he crosses the threshold. There are suspicions that politics is happening,” Parameshwara told reporters in the district headquarters town of Bagalkote.

“The Governor has moved further to issue a show cause notice. We will have to consider it as politically-motivated,” he added.

Karnataka Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge alleged that the Governor is being "misused" by the BJP.

"You have seen Governors in Tamil Nadu, earlier in Maharashtra and West Bengal. In some places these Governors are misusing their Constitutional position. Even the Supreme Court has made its observations. Several articles have also appeared on how the Governors are interfering in the functioning of the government exceeding their limits," Kharge told reporters.

“It appears, here too, the same thing is happening. Already we have said that I-T (Income Tax Department) and ED (the Enforcement Directorate) are being used. Isn’t it that they (BJP) are using them (Governors),” the Minister said.

According to him, there are no instances of the Governor immediately asking for a reply soon after a memorandum is submitted. "During the Ballari mining scam there were strong evidences for the Governor to act but in MUDA case there is nothing," he said

“The BJP has got a standard operating procedure to let the I-T, ED loose (on its opponents) and misusing the Governors,” Kharge alleged.