MUDA case a ‘sham’, says Siddaramaiah after HC setback; BJP asks CM to resign

“This is a fight against the revenge politics of Narendra Modi-led BJP government. Our judicial struggle against this revenge politics of BJP and JDS will continue. I have faith in the court,” Siddaramaiah asserted.

The Chief Minister added that he has the support of all MLAs, workers and the high command of the Congress, who “encouraged” him to continue the fight. “I will not hesitate from facing investigation. I will consult experts whether such a probe is allowed under law or not,” the CM added further.

“The MUDA case is just a sham. The main objective of the BJP and JDS parties is to stop our government’s schemes which favour the poor and the oppressed, ” Siddaramaiah said.

Congress stands by Siddaramaiah: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy CM and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar said the party stands with Siddaramaiah. He also claimed the cases are BJP’s “conspiracy against opposition leaders” across the country.

“Siddaramaiah has not committed any offence and will come out clean in any investigation. The BJP cannot digest the good work done by the Karnataka and has hatched a conspiracy to dislodge him,” Shivakumar said.

BJP asks Siddaramaiah to resign

The BJP, on its part, has welcomed the high court’s decision and demanded that the CM resign.

BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra said that the BJP had demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation after August 16 order to grant sanction for filing of cases against Siddaramaiah. “It is not the victory of BJP, it is the victory of the people of Karnataka… today, since the High Court judgment is out, I think Chief Minister should resign respectfully,” Vijayendra told reporters.

What the court said

During the hearing on Tuesday, Justice M Nagaprasanna ruled that the Governor’s August 16 order to grant sanction for filing of cases against Siddaramaiah does not suffer from lack of application of mind.

The high court ruled the Governor had not taken a hasty decision to sanction the approval to file cases against Siddaramaiah. “A decision of the Governor of alleged hot haste has not vitiated the order. The order is read to be restrictive to approval under section 17 A of the Act and not an order granting sanction under section 218 of the BNSS (for prosecution),” the HC ruled in its order.

Now, Siddaramaiah, who has the backing of the Congress party as its foremost backward class leader, is expected to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court order.

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