File photo of Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar
Credit: DH Photo
Belagavi: Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on Satyr dat said that BJP leaders don't have moral right to demand resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who has been accused in alleged MUDA land scam.
Speaking to presspersons here, the minister said, "BJP leaders should demand resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union ministers H D Kumaraswamy and Nirmala Sitharaman. Supreme Court has given verdict regarding electoral bonds and Modi and Sitharaman were continuing in office. "
She accused the BJP leaders of making efforts to "destabilise non-BJP governments in different states and have political agenda behind hit"
"Question of Siddaramaiah resigning does not arise as all ministers and MLAs stand with him and proud to work under his leadership," she added.
FIR has been filed against Siddaramaiah regarding alleged MUDA land scam and legal process has commenced. Siddaramaiah has stated that himself would face investigations and shall not budge to any pressure.
"BJP leaders used MUDA scam against Siddaramaiah as their efforts to destabilise government did not yield results/ We have not shown disrespect to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, but he was under pressure of centre and has become its puppet," she said.
"BJP leaders had mocked five guarantees when announced first. After they were implemented, they accused that development has come to standstill and states coffers have empty, but development has been progressing and so were the guarantees. MUDA scam allegations were new ploy to destabilise government. We need to know background of complainants Snehamayi Krishna and Abrahim," she alleged.
On a query about BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi alleging that Congress leaders were behind MUDA scam, she denied commenting and termed him as "big man."
"BJP politics was confined to elections and want to come to power. Modi raking up issue of MUDA scam in Haryana during election campaign was testimony for it. Centre government led by Modi but did not come to the aid of the state when we faced floods to compensate the affected nor our share of GST has been released which shows that BJP does not have concern for Karnataka," Hebbalkar lamented.
"Beneficiaries of Gruha Laxmi scheme have received funds until the month of June. Funds for July and August will be credited soon and for the month of September during the next month. We shall not budge to criticism and the scheme will continue," she said, denying allegations by BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal that the scheme was used for religious conversion of women.
"We follow principles of Lord Basavanna, but Yatnal hating one community could not be understood and needs to reform else does not have political future," she added.