'Siddaramaiah appointed Lokayukta can't probe against him fairly', says Pralhad Joshi

Hubballi, Sep 28 (IANS) Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Saturday that Lokayukta, appointed by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, cannot conduct a fair probe against him in the MUDA case.

Speaking to media persons in Hubballi, he demanded that Siddaramaiah should either resign and face an investigation or recommend a CBI probe into the case.

The union minister urged, "If Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has any moral integrity, he should resign and face an investigation."

"Since Siddaramaiah himself is the prime accused in the MUDA scam, officials here will not investigate him properly. As a result, the truth will not come out," he stated.

"Recently, CM Siddaramaiah appointed his preferred individuals to the Lokayukta. With this in place, expecting a transparent investigation by the Lokayukta or the Karnataka Police against the CM is unrealistic. Hence, the CM should either resign from his position and face the probe or recommend a CBI investigation," Joshi insisted.

He noted that the arrest of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is a matter of law. However, given that he heads the government, the case might drag on for a long time.

The union minister further criticised the grand old party, stating, "The Congress party and its government have lost all moral credibility. They are operating shamelessly."

He charged that Congress high command, including Sonia Gandhi, was "deeply involved" in numerous corruption scams, such as the Vadra land scam.

On Siddaramaiah ruling out resignation, saying that after the Godhra incident in 2002, then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi did not quit, the Union Minister asked the Karnataka Chief Minister why he was raking up the issue now.

"The Congress tried to implicate both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but truth won," the union minister added.

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