Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and senior BJP Leader R. Ashoka on Saturday said the Opposition will continue its struggle until Chief Minister Siddaramaiah steps down from office over the alleged corruption in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
“The padayatra may have concluded today but the agitation seeking the resignation of Mr. Siddaramaiah will go on until he resigns. We wouldn’t have taken out the Padayatra if the Chief Minister had answered our questions in the Assembly session. But, he chose to evade his replies on the alleged scam. Therefore, we (the BJP and the JD-S) launched the padayatra (Mysuru chalo) to demand his resignation,” he said, during his speech at the valedictory of Mysuru Chalo Padayatra at Maharaja College Grounds.
Lashing out against the Chief Minister all along his speech, Mr. Ashoka said there are no MUDA sites for the poor but 14 premium sites were allotted to Mr Siddaramaiah’s wife. At a time when over 86,000 people have been waiting for MUDA sites for many years, alleged irregularities running into several crores of rupees took place in MUDA, denying sites to the poor. The Opposition will fight demanding justice for 86,000 site aspirants, he announced.
Hitting out at Mr. Siddaramaiah for demanding ₹62 crore for returning 14 sites allotted to his wife, Mr. Ashoka maintained that 3.16 acres of land was originally allotted at ₹1. From the land owner, Chief Minister’s brother-in-law bought the property for ₹5 lakh and later gifted it to his sister. “When this is the case, how come the Chief Minister demands ₹62 crore for the land. This was the land belonging to a Dalit. It is the government’s duty to provide land to Dalits. Is this the clean image of Mr. Siddaramaiah,” he asked.
The BJP leader said efficient government officers in the State are ending their lives unable to bear the alleged torture and corruption of the Congress government. The alleged Valmiki Corporation scam came out following the alleged suicide of Chandrasekaran. The death of PSI Parashuram exposed the alleged corruption for postings. The officers have sacrificed their lives and the Congress “corruption” has now been exposed, he stated.
Mr. Ashoka said the Congress government run by Mr. Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar must go as there is no opportunity for honest officers to work in the State. “Either they are ending their lives or leaving their jobs,” he observed.
