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Demand for debate on MUDA scam: BJP holds night-long sit-in protest at Karnataka Assembly

BJP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition R Ashok and BJP Karnataka President BY Vijayendra, slept inside the assembly on Wednesday night.

Published on: Jul 25, 2024, 13:48:06 IST
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BJP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition R Ashok and BJP Karnataka President BY Vijayendra, slept inside the assembly on Wednesday night. The BJP MLAs are protesting and demanding discussion on the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam by sleeping in the Assembly.

The BJP unit of Karnataka demanded the resignation of the chief minister, Siddaramaiah, alleging that he is the “father of the Muda scam.” (X)
The BJP unit of Karnataka demanded the resignation of the chief minister, Siddaramaiah, alleging that he is the “father of the Muda scam.” (X)

The BJP unit of Karnataka demanded the resignation of the chief minister, Siddaramaiah, alleging that he is the “father of the Muda scam.”

"The multi-crore corruption of the Valmiki Development Corporation of the corrupt Congress government betrays the scheduled caste communities by using the money meant for the development of SC communities for other purposes. Under the leadership of the state president Shri @BYVijayendra and the leader of the opposition Shri @RAshokaBJP, an hourly sit-in satyagraha was started at Vidhansauda with BJP and JDS members of both Houses," it posted on X on Thursday.

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"We demand the resignation of the chief minister @siddaramaiah, the father of the Muda scam. BJP's struggle will continue until the Scheduled Tribe communities and the poor get justice. Members of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council including BJP and JDS parties including Leader of Opposition in Vidhana Sabha Mr. @NswamyChalavadi, former National General Secretaries Mr. @CTRavi_BJP participated in the protest," the state BJP added.

State party president Vijayendra condemned the Mysore Muda scam and demanded the resignation of CM Siddaramaiah.

"We demand the resignation of the corrupt Chief Minister, condemn the Mysore Muda scam in which Siddaramaiah is involved, and demand the resignation of the chief minister. An hour-long sit-in satyagraha has been started in the Vidhan Soudha with BJP and JDS members of both houses against the zero-development Congress government, including the multi-crore corruption of the Valmiki Development Corporation," he posted on X.

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"After robbing 187 crores of Maharshi Valmiki Nigam, which was meant for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, MLA B Nagendra, who has already been caught by the ED, is standing in the queue and knocking on the door of the jail," the BJP leader added.

Hitting out at Siddaramaiah, Vijayendra said that the CM is trying to escape from responsibility by saying that he knows nothing about the Valmiki Development Corporation scam.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who holds the finance portfolio, is saying that he is not responsible for the protection of 187 crores of Valmiki Corporation, and he knows nothing about this scam. It is a cunning idea to escape from responsibility, which you will get a proper answer to in the course of the investigation," he said.

"You and your government are traitors to the Scheduled Castes, as you used thousands of crores of rupees, which were supposed to be used only for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes for other purposes. The Scheduled Communities will teach you a lesson," the BJP leader wrote on X.

He continued his attack on the state government and questioned why they were hesitating to investigate the MUDA scam.

"Why do you hesitate to investigate the illegal plot scam in which more than 5000 plots worth crores of rupees have been given away to the powerful, land grabbers, and influential people, and not to those who have been waiting for decades to realise their lifelong dream of having a roof in their home district, Mysore," the BJP leader said.

"You are the father of this scam, as you have illegally acquired 14 plots of land in the name of your wife, defrauded the family of the real benefit, and defrauded the dignity and honour of the position of the Chief Minister. It is a shame that you are justifying yourself with corruption, wearing the crown of nepotism," he added.

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"You are suppressing the right to freedom of expression by not allowing us to fight against your wrongdoings in a democratic way. The speaker dancing to your tune is a black spot in the legislative system," the BJP leader said.

He further highlighted the Emergency imposed by former PM Indira Gandhi in 1975 and said, "It seems you are going to re-enact the dark context of the Emergency in the 70s. Our struggle is not only against your repressive attitude, our struggle will not stop until the government under your leadership, which is trying to darken the democratic system and is protecting corruption, is removed from power."

BJP leader Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said that they are protesting because the state government rejected it and disrespected the Constitution.

"What happened in MUDA, where more than four thousand crore scams happened, CM and his family are also involved in this. When we asked for discussion, by rejecting it, they disrespected the constitution. That's why the BJP and JDS in the Legislative Council and Assembly are demanding the CM's resignation and discussion, and letting the people know about the MUDA scam. We are protesting by sleeping inside the assembly," he said.

  • Yamini C S
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    Yamini C S

    Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More