Karnataka Govt Asks Governor To Withdraw Show Cause Notice Against CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka government has also requested Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to dismiss a petition filed by social activist TJ Abraham.

Further, the show cause notice directed Siddaramaiah to submit a response within seven days on why prosecution should not be granted against him.

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The Congress-led Karnataka government has appealed to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to revoke the showcause notice issued to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah concerning the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. The government has also requested the Governor to dismiss a petition filed by social activist TJ Abraham.

Addressing a press conference at the Vidhana Soudha, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated,  "The council of ministers earnestly requests the honourable Governor to retract the notice issued to CM Siddaramaiah and to reject the petition by TJ Abraham. We make this appeal with utmost humility. I want to bring it to the notice of the people of the state that this is a murder of democracy and the Constitution."

The Cabinet meeting held on Thursday extensively discussed the showcause notice issued to Siddaramaiah. "On July 26, social activist TJ Abraham issued the letter of complaint, and the Chief Secretary provided a detailed response. Within minutes of receiving the complaint, the showcause notice was issued by the Governor," Shivakumar said, according to a report on IANS.

Shivakumar elaborated that the Governor’s notice to CM Siddaramaiah reads: "I have received a notice from TJ Abraham. The petitioner submitted allegations against you and your family members for violations of sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Upon perusal, the allegations seem to be serious and of a prima facie nature. A complaint has already been lodged with the Lokayukta in this regard under Sections 117, 17A, and 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act."

The notice further directs Siddaramaiah to submit a response within seven days on why prosecution should not be granted against him, as per the report.

The Deputy CM questioned the urgency behind the notice, stating, "Why this haste? What's the background? Isn't there any democracy? The allegations need to be proved with findings and commissions must approve them. There is no investigation, and the judicial committee is probing the matter. What is the urgency? There are no inquiries against the CM. How can the Governor go through and read more than 200 pages of documents within minutes and send notice?"