Shivakumar slams PM Modi over MUDA irregularity remarks

Bengaluru: Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi referring to alleged irregularities in Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) wherein Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is facing an enquiry, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to first drop Ministers of his cabinet facing enquiries over allegations (before pointing fingers at others).

Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, Shivakumar questioned Modi “Why has he kept such Ministers in his cabinet?” and stated “Let him first drop them from his Cabinet.”

He said Modi referred to the MUDA irregularities for political gains in an election campaign (in Haryana on Wednesday) and made it clear that resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah does not arise at all (after Special Court for People’s Representatives, Bengaluru ordered for Lokayukta investigation against Siddaramaiah over MUDA scam).

“As president of KPCC I make it clear that a proposal for resignation does not come. It is a conspiracy hatched by alliance partners Bharatiya Janata Party (bjp) and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) against the Chief Minister,” he alleged and observed BJP-JDS are unable to tolerate the growing acceptance of people to the 5-guarantees of the State Government such as Rs 2,000 a month cash benefit scheme for a female head of a family, free travel for women/girls in State owned buses, up to 200 units of free power to a house among others.

“All leaders from New Delhi to grass root level are backing Siddaramaiah,” Shivakumar said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his social networking site, challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a direct debate on corruption and asked Modi “Don’t fire shots from afar.”

Siddaramaiah pointed out to Modi over the inclusion of State president of JDS and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in his Ministry to head Heavy Industries and Steels who is facing Rs 100 crore illegal mining scam and questioned the PM “Doesn’t your conscience prickle when you accuse others of corruption?” Kumaraswamy represents the Mandya Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka.

“Since 2014 more than 25 opposition leaders with corruption allegations have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 23 of them have been cleared by central agencies. Isn’t this a miracle?,” Siddaramaiah asked Modi.

The Chief Minister referred to the electoral bonds and questioned the Prime Minister “Who are the mysterious donors behind electoral bonds filling your (BJP’s) coffers? Continuing on the electoral bonds, he asked “How much did mysterious donors give and what did they get in return?

Siddaramaiah told Modi “The people see it all.”