Former Karnataka Chief Minister takes a jab at Siddaramaiah

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JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy attacked the Siddaramaiah-led administration in Karnataka on Saturday, citing a number of issues, including "corruption." He claimed that six to seven state ministers would have to step down if he revealed the documents he had, PTI reported.

According to PTI, he said that the Congress party was trying to "fix" him in a few cases, when he began confronting the state government about alleged irregularities and discussing them in public.

"Siddaramaiah had accused (previous BJP government) of being 40 per cent commission govt and came to power. Today his own party is saying after this government coming to power it is more than 40 per cent (commission). Mr Siddaramaiah, did people give you power for this?" Kumaraswamy asked.

Addressing PTI reporters, he said, "I have things (with me), I'm not running away. If I release the documents I have, six to seven Ministers will have to resign...I will release, will not run away with fear, no hit and run...."

The JD(S) state president questioned the CM on the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allocation case, stating, "If he (Siddaramaiah) had no role in the Mysuru (MUDA) scam, then why are certain decisions being made by the cabinet hurriedly?" noting the government's withdrawal of the broad approval granted to the CBI to look into issues within the State.

Accusing the government of introducing a new form of legal system in the state in which arrests are made in various situations merely because someone provides a complaint. He said, "but in your (Siddaramaiah) case, despite 48 hours, after the court issued directions, FIR was not registered."

Following an order from a Special Court in Bengaluru to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka Lokayukta police filed a formal complaint (FIR) against him and other parties in the MUDA site allocation case on Friday, PTI reported.

Kumaraswamy questioned, "How many officials have you promised Bengaluru Commissioner, CID chief posts?," accusing the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, and Home Minister G Parameshwara of manipulating the police department and officers in their attempts to end few people politically, "and what are you making them do for it?", he added.

".....in the last one year, before I joined hands with the BJP and from the day I started targeting your government, how many meetings have you held at officials and ministers level? Don't I have information as to what you are up to?" he questioned, PTI reported.

Kumaraswamy on Friday had appeared before the Lokayukta police for questioning in connection with a land denotification case.

As per PTI, he had voluntarily appeared before Lokayukta police, the Union Minister claimed that false informations was shared among a section of the media that Lokayukta had served him a notice, in order to divert the attention of the public from the CM's alleged case which is currently in the limelight.

"Gangenahalli denotification case is just for diversion nothing else, they (govt) can't do anything (to me) further in the case... I have signed a file, but I have not ordered denotification. I had said in the noting on the file I signed that after scrutinizing legally, see what action can be taken (to officials). I have not said to denotify. Let them (govt) do any probe, I'm not worried," he said.

Hitting back at the CM for suggesting that the BJP and JD(S) were trying to destabilize his administration, Kumaraswamy, the former Chief Minister, said voters gave Siddaramaiah/Congress a five-year mandate, "but what are you doing? I have pain that today no discussion is happening in the state on developmental issues or on issues concerning people."

"What has got prominence in Karnataka today is the police department and some scam related issues," he said to PTI.