Cong summons Siddaramaiah, DKS to Delhi amid protests over MUDA, tribal welfare board scams

Bengaluru, July 29 (IANS): The Congress high command on Monday summoned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to Delhi even as the BJP and the JD (S) held a protest march from Bengaluru to Mysuru over the scams in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and the tribal welfare board.

Asked about the party high command asking him to come to Delhi on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said, "The party higher-ups have called me to discuss government and party matters. Hence, the Deputy Chief Minister and I are visiting Delhi."

This development follows even as the BJP is demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and handing over both the corruption cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The opposition BJP and JD(S) are targeting the Congress every day and the Congress government had to call off the Monsoon Session of the Assembly as the BJP legislators held a night-long protest against the scams involving MUDA and the tribal welfare board.

Though Siddaramaiah is putting up a brave front, Congress sources claimed that the party high command had taken serious note of the developments in Karnataka and is likely to demand an explanation from him regarding both the corruption cases.

Asked by the media whether he was upset about the political development as he had not faced such a situation in 40 years of his political life, Siddaramaiah said, "I would be upset if I had done something wrong. I have not done anything wrong. BJP has broken all records in lying and blackmailing. What principles do they have? They are against social justice, secularism, democracy, and the Constitution."

On the Mekedatu dam project the CM said, "We are ready to talk to the Tamil Nadu government about the water wasted due to the Mettur dam. Although the Mekedatu project will not harm them, they are not ready for talks. If the Union government gives approval, we (Karnataka government) are ready to start the project," he added.

Speaking about the illegal immigration of 20,000 people from Bangladesh to Bengaluru, he said, "I am not aware of this. We will look into it and take necessary action."