We are with you, cabinet tells Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: In an emergency meeting on Saturday evening, the cabinet unanimously condemned governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot’s decision to grant sanction for chief minister Siddaramaiah’s prosecution in Muda case, terming it “illegal and anti-constitutional”.

The cabinet ruled out Siddaramaiah’s resignation, expressing solidarity with him. “There is no question of Siddaramaiah resigning or giving in to pressure tactics. It is a firm commitment from the entire cabinet, govt and Congress MLAs,” said deputy chief minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar after the meeting. “Right from the AICC to party workers on the ground, all are firmly with Siddaramaiah,” he asserted.

Shivakumar alleged that the central govt and Raj Bhavan are being used to target the state administration. “We will condemn it and register our protest,” he said. The DCM claimed the governor has not followed procedures prescribed under Section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act for granting sanction, accusing him of selectively quoting the Supreme Court verdicts to justify his actions. “We will fight it out,” Shivakumar said.

After the meeting, Siddaramaiah expressed gratitude to his cabinet colleagues and the party. “Even AICC leaders called me to express their support,” he said.

The CM said the standard operating procedures (SOPs) sent by the Centre on Sept 3, 2021, to chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories regarding cases under Section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act-1988, were not followed by the governor. “It is very clear based on the SOPs that the governor has illegally granted sanction. He has no jurisdiction; the sanction is against the Constitution and is illegal. He has not followed the procedure,” he claimed.

The CM cited the governor’s alleged delay in deciding on petitions seeking sanctions to prosecute former BJP ministers Murugesh Nirani, Shashikala Jolle and Janardhana Reddy. He claimed a petition by Lokayukta police seeking sanction to prosecute Union minister HD Kumaraswamy had been pending with the governor for months. “But in my case, he (governor) took not even a day to sanction prosecution,” Siddaramaiah alleged.

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Tell me why and for what reason should I resign ... the governor has to resign because he has acted as a puppet in the hands of govt of India

Chief minister Siddaramaiah