NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah came under fire on Wednesday after he was caught on tape having his shoes removed by another person.
In a purported video, a party worker was seen removing the CM’s shoes as he arrived to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary during an event in Bengaluru. A police official removed the flag from the worker’s hands as he continued to remove the shoes.
BJP national spokesperson Shezad Poonawala termed Siddaramaiah as the ‘poster boy of corruption’ and accused him of insulting the tricoulor and Mahatma Gandhi’s principles.
Taking to X, Poonawala said,” Congress means a shop of corruption, a symbol of arrogance, and an insult to the tricolor. Sidrammaiya is the poster boy of corruption. He should have resigned, but instead of resigning, he has his workers tie his shoelaces and that too while holding the tricolor. On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, this means an insult to the tricolor and an insult to Bapu’s principles. Anyway, Congress does not follow Bapu’s principles. Now it follows Rahul Gandhi’s principles, which means arrogance, corruption, and family. This is their identity. That’s why the High Court’s order came, the Special Court’s order came, and he became accused number one.”
“The Sidrammaiya case started. But what does Sidrammaiya do? He doesn’t resign. He has his workers tie his shoes, sometimes pushes the media, and sometimes blocks the CBI. Instead of resigning and allowing the investigation, he tries to stop the investigation. Congress means a shop of corruption, an insult to the tricolor, and no respect for the constitution. Now Rahul Gandhi should tell us, is this respect for the constitution or not?” he added.
Siddaramaiah is also facing scrutiny as the Lokayukta Police lodged an FIR, naming him as the first accused in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
The CM is also booked under provisions of the IPC and the Prohibition of Benami Transactions and Land Grabbing Acts.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah’s wife wrote a letter to MUDA offering to surrender 14 compensation plots, as the Enforcement Directorate has booked Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, and others in a money laundering case linked to the MUDA land case, following a recent Lokayukta FIR.
In her letter, Parvathi stated, “I wish to surrender and return the compensation plots by cancelling the deeds of the 14 plots executed in my favor by the Mysore Urban Development Authority. I am also handing over possession of the plots back to the Mysore Urban Development Authority. Kindly take the necessary steps in this regard as soon as possible.”
Siddaramaiah has defended his actions, stating that the opposition is targeting him out of fear and vowing to fight the case legally. “I have done no wrong,” the CM reiterated earlier, insisting that he would not resign over the matter.
The case has intensified following a special court’s order for a probe, which was upheld by the Karnataka High Court, into the alleged illegalities surrounding the allotment of these sites. The ED is expected to summon the accused and may attach their assets as part of the investigation.
