God has always blessed me, says CM Siddaramaiah amid Muda controversy

Mysuru (Karnataka), Oct 11 (IANS) Even as the opposition has been demanding his resignation over the Muda scam case, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said he has always enjoyed the blessings of God and that was how he has survived in politics.

The high-profile case involves allegations that MUDA illegally allotted 14 sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, B.M. Parvati, in an upscale area of Mysuru city.

Speaking to reporters here, CM Siddaramaiah said, “There have always been blessings of God on me. There is no phase in my life where God has not blessed me and that is how I have been in politics for such a long time.”

He made the statement while responding to a question, saying that he is the only Chief Minister to have offered floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari the highest number of times during the Dasara festival.

“In politics, there are enemies and supporters. There are those who praise and those who criticize. I don’t expect everyone to praise me in democracy. The democratic set-up needs healthy debate and criticism should be made. Then only, democracy will be a success,” CM Siddaramaiah said.

Talking about the controversial advertisement released on the occasion of Dasara, CM Siddaramaiah maintained that the festival of Dasara means the destruction of evil and the protection of good people. "This is all about Dasara. The Vijayanagara kings celebrated Dasara to celebrate their victories. It was continued by the Mysuru kings and the tradition is continued till date. We have also continued it in the present set-up,” he stated.

Talking further about the controversial advertisement, CM Siddaramaiah stated, “It depends on how you define it. The media indulges in favour sometimes and sometimes it is against it. We can’t say that you should be analyzing in one particular manner.”

Commenting on the Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shobha Karandlaje’s statement targeting him, CM Siddaramaiah maintained that she should be telling it to former CM B.S. Yediyurappa, who got fixed in a POCSO case.

“Let her get him removed from the Central Parliamentary Board Committee. She can’t issue statements like this. Yediyurappa is facing the POCSO case and there is a charge sheet against him. He is being saved only with the mercy of the court. Otherwise, he would have been inside the prison,” CM Siddaramaiah said.