From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jan 19: Making common cause with the opposition BJP in its tirade against the Siddaramaiah regime over the Arkavathi layout land denotification scandal, which has urged the Karnataka Governor VajubhaiRudabhaiVala to institute an inquiry, JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamyhas also demanded a CBI inquiry into Arkavathi Layout land denotification issue.
Addressing a news conference in Bengaluru on Monday, the JD(S) leader said the chief minister must prove his bona fides in the entire scandal instead of merely brushing aside the opposition criticism.
He said the State Government’s decision to institute a judicial inquiry into the issue would not serve the purpose as the judicial commission will not be able to arrive at the total financial loss.
"Let the CBI investigate and bring out the truth. If Siddaramaiah is transparent and truthful why is he scared of CBI inquiry," Kumaraswamy asked.
He said the chief minister Siddaramaiah has to come out of this black mark by submitting to any kind of inquiry.
Facing the heat from the BJP, Karnataka Government in August had announced a Commission of Inquiry headed by former High Court Judge H S Kempanna into the Arkavathi Layout land denotification issue.
BJP, which is the principal opposition party in the state, has been insisting on a CBI inquiry into alleged corruption pertaining to denotification of 541 acres in Arkavathi Layout by the Bangalore Development Authority.
Former chief minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar had declared that the party is looking at legal options on the issue, including seeking prosecution permission from the Governor.
Accusing the Siddaramaiah government of not cooperating with the commission by not submitting required documents to it, Kumaraswamy said he would hand over the documents that he has collected on the issue to the Judicial commission shortly.
When Siddaramaiah claims he is not involved in any kind of wrong-doing and he has not denotified any land, why he is not submitting the required files to the commission, Kumaraswamy asked.
"If the Congress government comes out blemishless in the CBI inquiry, the honesty and transparency of the chief minister will be proved," the JD(S) leader contended.