Seers of Dalit, backward class communities declare unconditional moral support to Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: A delegation from the federation of seers from Dalit and backward class communities on Sunday met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and declared their "unconditional moral support", in the wake of the Governor granting prosecution sanction against him in connection with the MUDA 'scam'.

The CM's office in a statement said, "Strongly condemning the conspiracies of the Central government and the Raj Bhavan to artificially destabilise the government, the swamijis declared that they will stand unitedly and fight against this conspiracy, in favour of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah."

The delegations of seers that met the CM included Jagadguru Sri Niranjanananda Puri Swamiji of the Kaginele Kanaka Guru Peetha, Jagadguru Sri Shanthaveera Mahaswamiji of Sri Jagadguru Kunchitiga Mahasamsthana Math -- Hosadurga, Jagadguru Sri Immadi Siddarameshwar Swamiji of Bhovi Gurupeetha -- Chitradurga, Jagadguru Sri Basavamurthy Madara Chennaiah Mahaswami of Madara Chennaiah Gurupeeth -- Chitradurga, among several others, it said.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on August 16 granted sanction for prosecution of Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam', giving a major jolt to the nearly 15-month-old Congress government.

The Governor accorded sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions of activists Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna.

The High Court on August 19 directed the special court for people's representatives to defer its proceedings against the CM in the alleged MUDA site allotment 'scam', till the next date of hearing on August 29.