'She Is A Victim Of Politics Of Hate': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah As Wife Returns MUDA Plots Linked To Scam

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi has returned the 14 compensatory sites that were given to her in the Mysuru upmarket area, Siddaramaiah confirmed in an X post on Tuesday. Siddaramaiah also alleged that his family was dragged into the controversy by members of the Opposition parties.

The development comes hours after the Chief Minister’s wife, in a letter to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner, had expressed her willingness to return the 14 sites, following allegations of illegalities in their allotment.

“My wife Parvati has returned the lands that were given in the form of compensation for the land that was seized without carrying out Muda land acquisition in Mysore. The people of the state also know that the Opposition parties created a false complaint and dragged my family into the controversy to create political hatred against me,” a rough translation of Siddaramaiah’s X post in English suggested.

“My stand was to fight without bowing down to this injustice. But my wife, who is upset with the political conspiracy going on against me, has taken a decision to return these plots, which has surprised me too,” he wrote.

“My wife, who never intervened in my four decades-long politics and was confined to her family, is a victim of the politics of hate against me and is suffering psychological torture. I am sorry. However, I respect my wife’s decision to return the plots,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Siddaramaiah by the Karnataka Lokayukta police in connection with the case, on the directions of a special court.

The FIR was registered under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy), 166 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 426 (mischief), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 340 (wrongful confinement) and 351 (assault).

On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) booked the Chief Minister, his wife Parvathi, and some others in a money laundering case linked to the land allotment case, taking cognisance of the FIR by the Lokayukta.

PARVATHI’s LETTER TO MUDA

In her letter to the MUDA Commissioner, Siddaramaiah’s wife mentioned she was allotted the 14 alternative sites in the third and fourth phase of Vijayanagar in Mysuru against the usage of her three acres and 16 Guntas of land in Kesare village under Kasaba Hobli in Mysuru.

“I am willing to return the 14 sites by way of cancelling the sale deed. I want MUDA to acquire these sites. I request you to take the step in this direction at the earliest,” Parvathi’s letter mentioned.

It is alleged that the compensatory sites were given to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land that was “acquired” by MUDA, news agency PTI reported.

BJP SLAMS SIDDARAMAIAH

On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi’s letter as an “admission of guilt” and demanded the Karnataka Chief Minister’s resignation.

“This letter is an admission of guilt. Instead of sending his (Siddaramaiah) resignation letter, a redemption letter is being written,” BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said.

He also alleged that Siddaramaiah’s wife had written to the MUDA commissioner expressing her willingness to return the 14 sites she had been allotted “to evade investigation in the case”.

“If no wrong was committed, why are you returning (the sites)? That too when the orders of the High Court and special court came, an FIR was registered and ED case also started,” Poonawalla asked.

“A letter of guilt has come. Corruption happened ( in MUDA site allocation). Now the letter of redemption won’t work. It’s time for Siddaramaiah to resign. He doesn’t have any moral right to continue as the chief minister,” the BJP spokesperson said.