No role of Centre in CM's prosecution case, says Union Minister

BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister and Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday denied any role of the Bharatiya Janata Party led Union Government in grant of prosecution by Governor of Karnataka against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with alleged irregularities in distribution of plots to wife of Chief Minister by Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in Mysuru city.

“Why drag the Union Government into the sanction of prosecution?” he questioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and pointed “Why not prosecution sanctioned against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin or against Telangana Chief Minister?”

Kumaraswamy reacted to accusations made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday wherein he alleged “a big conspiracy has been hatched against me by the Union Government, H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP leaders R. Ashok and B.Y. Vijayendra to bring down his Government through misuse of the Governor's office.”

In turn, he said, a conspiracy has been hatched by his own men in the party to bring Siddaramaiah's downfall and in an oblique reference to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the Union Minister, told Siddaramaiah that Shivakumar posed a threat to him.

In reply to a query that the Governor had kept his prosecution request pending, Kumaraswamy stated “The matter is before the Supreme Court. There is no need for prosecution in an illegal iron ore mining case.” He asked, “Let the State Government knock the doors of the Supreme Court.”

Kumaraswamy said he will not demand for the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or expect Siddaramaiah to step down voluntarily.

He criticized the Congress leaders for holding a protest in Karnataka on Monday against the Governor's decision to grant prosecution of the Chief Minister and questioned “What for the protest?”