'Opposition is trying to tarnish my 40 years of spotless political life': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Jul 26, 2024, 6:42 PM IST

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has fiercely defended his political record against opposition attacks, asserting that claims regarding the MUDA land allotment and Valmiki Corporation scams are baseless. Siddaramaiah criticized opposition members for personal attacks lacking evidence. The session saw protests over denied debate opportunities.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has responded strongly to opposition parties’ attacks, asserting that their claims are an attempt to tarnish his clean political record spanning four decades. This outburst came as the Vidhan Parishad session commenced with intense opposition demands for discussions on two major scams—the MUDA land allotment scam and the Valmiki Corporation scams.

As the session began, opposition members chanted slogans, demanding debates on the alleged scams. Amid the uproar, Siddaramaiah addressed the issue, saying, "Even in 2016, when I was in office, I did not receive a site. The BJP, when in power in 2021, implemented a 50:50 sharing rule, which led to my family being allotted a site. I had never encountered such a scheme before. The allotment was legal and above board. The accusations against me are baseless and reflect nothing more than jealousy."

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He further criticized the opposition for making personal attacks without substantial evidence. "Despite their attempts, the accusations are unfounded. They are trying to discredit me without any real content or proof."

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In response to the demand for debates, Speaker Basavaraja announced that the opportunity for discussion was denied because the Valmiki Corporation scam was already under investigation. This only fueled further discontent among opposition members, who continued to protest vocally.

The opposition has levelled several serious allegations, including claims of corruption involving 187 crores meant for Dalit development. They accused Siddaramaiah of misappropriating funds and highlighted alleged discrepancies in the Muda land allotment. Opposition members even chanted slogans accusing the government of diverting state money to the Telangana election.

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