MUDA site, tribal fund scam: BJP, JDS to hold weeklong padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru from August 3

The Opposition BJP and JDS on Sunday decided to go on a week-long padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru from August 3 demanding CBI probe into the multi-crore site allotment scam in Mysuru and chief minister Siddaramaiah’s resignation over his family “illegally” getting 14 plots in an upscale area in Mysuru and diversion of government funds meant for welfare of tribals into personal accounts.

The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP and JDS leaders attended by BJP parliamentary board member BS Yediyurappa, state president BY Vijayendra, union ministers HD Kumaraswamy (JDS) and Pralhad Joshi, and Opposition leaders in both houses R Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.

A retired high court judge is probing the site allotment scam in Mysuru while a special investing team (SIT) of the state police is probing illegal transfer of Rs 89.63 crore of funds from the Maharshi Valmiki ST Corporation to unknown people in Hyderabad. The unearthing of the case led to his resignation as state’s tribal welfare and sports minister B Nagendra. He is in judicial custody now.


The BJP has demanded immediate cancellation of the illegal allotments and a CBI investigation as the state police cannot impartially probe the matter because of the CM’s family being the alleged beneficiary.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attacked Siddaramaiah and accused him of inaction in the Valmiki Corporation case. He wondered why the CM did not take the bank officials who connived in the transfer of funds to the police station. The funds meant for tribal welfare had been misappropriated but there had been no outrage, but the CM was trying to play down the size of the scam in the assembly. Sitharaman said the bank officials who facilitated the scam would face harsh punishment.

The ruling Congress, however, said the BJP's padayatra was a ploy to mislead the people and tarnish the government's image.