The BJP hit out at the Karnataka government on Friday, accusing it of manipulating a recent report that cleared Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his family of corruption charges related to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case. The opposition party claims the report was biased and favors the CM, pointing to alleged irregularities in the investigation.
BJP leader N. Ravikumar, speaking at his party’s Bengaluru office, accused the judicial commission’s report of being “manipulated” to protect Siddaramaiah. He argued that the truth is different and insisted that the Chief Minister is actually guilty in the MUDA case. Ravikumar reminded everyone that Siddaramaiah once said if Rs 60 crore was paid, certain land sites would be returned — a statement he said the CM later denied. That, Ravikumar claims, shows the CM’s involvement in corrupt activities.
The opposition leader also criticized the government’s land acquisition methods. He said that forcing farmers to give up their land for industries without proper consent is wrong. Ravikumar warned that if the government doesn’t listen to farmers’ concerns, the BJP will organize protests to support them. He emphasized that the BJP supports industrial growth, but only if land is acquired transparently and with farmers’ agreement.
On the upcoming local elections in Karnataka, Ravikumar opposed the government’s plan to replace EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) with ballot papers. He called this move “an attempt to take the state back to the old, less transparent voting system.” He argued that counting votes on paper can take several days and expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, noting that Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders have supported EVMs.
Ravikumar also pointed out that the Congress government, led by Siddaramaiah, came to power through EVMs in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka. He insisted that EVMs are reliable and upheld by courts, criticizing the decision to switch to ballot papers as unnecessary and politically motivated.
This controversy highlights the ongoing political battle in Karnataka, with the BJP demanding transparency and honesty in election processes and questioning the fairness of the MUDA case report. The debate continues as both sides use different arguments to sway public opinion.
