Criticising Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for issuing him a show cause notice, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday, accused the Governor of acting as a "puppet" of the central government and the BJP-JD(S) alliance. Siddaramaiah labeled the notice which questioned why prosecution sanctions should not be granted against him regarding alleged irregularities in the distribution of sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), as "illegal and against the Constitution."
The Chief Minister vehemently denied any involvement in the so-called 'scam,' stating, "My role is not there. Where is my role?" He accused the central government of "misusing Raj Bhavan" and attempting to destabilize the democratically elected state government.
"The Governor is completely functioning as a puppet of the central government, BJP-JD(S)," Siddaramaiah asserted, according to a report on PTI.
On Thursday, the Karnataka government formally requested the Governor to withdraw the show-cause notice.
Further, Siddaramaiah highlighted the swift action in his case, contrasting it with the lack of action on longstanding complaints against former BJP ministers Shashikala Jolle, Murugesh Nirani, and Janardhana Reddy, which have been pending at the Governor's office for years.
"This indicates that the central government is misusing the Raj Bhavan to destabilize the elected government. The notice issued is against the law and undermines the Constitution and democracy. My role is not clear in this matter. Where is my role? They are doing this unnecessarily," Siddaramaiah charged, as per a report on IANS.
He questioned the process, stating, "I am the Chief Minister of an elected government, with 136 MLAs supporting me. The Governor should have thoroughly verified all documents related to the legal matters before issuing the notice."
Meanwhile, several individuals are still unaccounted for as rescue teams grapple with challenging conditions, such as waterlogged terrain.
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