Muda 'scam' row: Siddaramaiah 'surprised' by wife's move to return plots

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah expressed surprise at his wife Parvathi's decision to surrender 14 plots amid the Muda land allotment row. The BJP has labelled the decision as an 'admission of guilt'

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamiah on Tuesday said that he was surprised by his wife Parvathi’s decision to surrender all 14 plots that were allotted to her by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (Muda). Siddaramaiah’s remarks were in reference to the ongoing controversy linked to the alleged Muda land allotment scam.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Karnataka CM said that the public is well aware of the false allegations made by the Opposition parties to create political hatred against him. “...My stand was to fight without bowing down to this injustice. But my wife, who is upset with the political conspiracy against me, decided to return these plots, which has surprised me,” he said.

“My wife, who has never been involved in my four decades of political career…is now a victim of the hate directed at me…I apologise for that. Despite this, I fully respect her decision…,” Siddaramaiah added.

A day earlier, it was reported that Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi, in a letter to the Muda Commissioner, expressed her willingness to return the 14 sites. Parvati's letter came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday booked Siddaramaiah, his wife and some others in a money laundering case linked to the alleged scam.

What is the alleged Muda scam controversy?

The case pertains to the allegations that Siddaramaiah's wife was given compensatory plots in a more valuable area of Mysore, compared to her original land that was "acquired" by Muda. The organisation provided these plots to Parvathi under a scheme where 50 per cent of developed land was given to landowners in exchange for their undeveloped land, which was used to create residential layouts. It is claimed that Parvathi did not have legal ownership of the 3.16 acres of land in question.

On September 27, the Karnataka Lokayukta police filed a case against Siddaramaiah following the directions of a special court.

In her letter, Parvathi had said that she was hurt by the allegations and subsequently decided to return the sites. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that the letter was an admission of guilt and demanded the CM's resignation.