Will resign willingly if need arises: Union Minister HDK takes a swipe at Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Aug 21 (PTI) Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said he will willingly resign if the need arises unlike Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who found fault with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s permission to investigate and prosecute him in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority land allotment 'scam.' Reacting to the Chief Minister’s allegation that the Governor was not giving consent to prosecute him, Kumaraswamy asked what stops Siddaramaiah from approaching the Supreme Court against him in connection with the alleged scam related to Sri Sai Venkateshwara Minerals.

Lokayukta's Special Investigation Team has once again submitted a proposal to the Governor on Monday seeking permission to file a charge-sheet against Kumaraswamy in the alleged illegal mining lease case.

The SIT had first requested Gehlot's nod in November last year to prosecute the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, who had allegedly granted mining lease to the private firm when he was the Chief Minister in 2007 in violation of law. The Chief Minister on Wednesday reiterated that the Governor sanctioned in haste investigation and prosecution against him.

Accusing the Governor of discriminating against him, Siddaramaiah said Lokayukta’s recommendation to prosecute Kumaraswamy has been pending with Gehlot since November 2023.

Kumaraswamy, the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, said he has seen the statements of Virajpet MLA and legal advisor to the Chief Minister A S Ponnanna and some other ministers demanding his resignation.

“I will willingly resign if needed, unlike you (Siddaramaiah) who found fault with the Governor’s permission to prosecute you and commented about the Governor in a derogatory manner. The Karnataka ministers should be ashamed for using such words against the Governor,” he said.

He said: “Don’t you think I could have closed the cases against me in 2018 when I was the Chief Minister?” Stating that the ruling Congress is opening another case against him, he said he is not afraid of it.

Kumaraswamy said the Lokayukta report against him was sent to the Governor in November last year seeking permission for prosecution only after he started attacking the Congress government on a host of issues, particularly corruption. PTI