Karnataka Bharatiya Janata (BJP) MLAs were seen carrying pillows and blankets inside the state assembly and having their dinner there as they continued their dharna in the House on Wednesday night. The BJP MLAs are demanding discussion over the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) ‘scam’ issue.
The BJP, which is in the opposition in Congress-ruled Karnataka, announced on Wednesday that it would stage “day-and-night” dharna in both Legislative Assembly and Council over not allowing discussion on the scam.
#WATCH | Karnataka BJP MLAs seen carrying pillows and blankets inside the State Assembly and having their dinner here as they continue their dharna in the House tonight and stay the night.
State Assembly adjourned till tomorrow, 25th July. The BJP MLAs are demanding discussion… pic.twitter.com/b0IumC68gt
— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2024
It is alleged that sites were allotted fraudulently to land losers by MUDA, which involves plots given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, news agency PTI reported. The Opposition was not allowed to discuss the issue in both the Houses on Wednesday.
The legislature session is slated to end on Friday. The Karnataka Assembly was adjourned till Thursday, July 25.
“The Congress has 136 MLAs. When we brought an adjournment motion regarding ₹4,000 crore loot in MUDA scam, the government was scared and was running away (from discussion). They have passed key bills including the finance bill without discussion. This government is (of) cowards, they don’t have the courage to respond to MUDA allegations in the House,” Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka was quoted by OTI as saying.
While speaking to reporters, he said, if the government had any “shame or self esteem,” they should have said on the floor of the House that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had taken 14 sites in a legal manner, and so did his supporters.
“It is a ₹4,000 crore scam. More than one lakh square feet of land that belonged to Dalits has been looted…..we wanted to raise this issue, we were not allowed…the Speaker’s conduct in favour of the ruling party is condemnable….Condemning this conduct of the ruling party and the Speaker of suppressing the opposition voice, we are declaring day and night protest. All our MLAs and MLCs will protest day and night against this government,” he added.
On July 14, the government constituted a single-member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the charges.
The judicial inquiry into illegalities in MUDA will cover the period between 2006 and July 15, 2024, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told the Assembly on Wednesday, while highlighting the terms of reference for the inquiry commission.
Terms of reference for the inquiry commission have also been given, and it has been asked to complete the probe in six months and submit a report.
Patil said, “The inquiry will look into — How many layouts were formed by MUDA; How much land was used to form layouts without land acquisition and by denotification; How were landowners compensated for their land that was used without acquisition or by denotification; Was such compensation in accordance with law” .
(With inputs from agencies)