Bharatiya Janata Party Karnataka chief BY Vijayendra hit back at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over him calling a CBI investigation into an alleged corruption case involving him, and accused him of “abusing” power.
Vijayendra reacted after Siddaramaiah, in a post on X, alleged that the BJP leader tried to bribe Anwar Manippady, the former Minority Commission Chairman with Rs 150 crore to suppress investigations into Waqf property encroachments.
In the post, the Chief Minister also called for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter.
The Karnataka CM has alleged that the BJP state president visited the house of Anwar Manippady and offered the money.
“Anwar Manippady had publicly stated that Vijayendra visited his house during B.S. Yediyurappa’s tenure as CM and offered Rs 150 crore to keep silent about the Wakf property encroachment report. He has further stated that Anwar sent Vijayendra out of his house and reported this incident to PM @narendramodi and the BJP President,” he added.
Siddaramaiah further said that Prime Minister Modi’s ‘silence’ on the issue raises several questions. He also slammed the Karnataka BJP leaders, stating that the party has turned Karnataka into its “ATM.”
In response, Vijayendra slammed Siddaramaiah, questioning his moral standing on asking for an investigation while he himself is being accused of corruption.
“Shocked by the CBI and ED investigations, you questioned the permission given to the prosecution by the Governor and made a vain attempt to seek legal protection by calling a senior lawyer from Delhi. What morality do you have to order a CBI investigation into someone else, humiliated by the High Court verdict?,” read the post by the BJP leader.
He further criticised Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge for ‘celebrating’ this “baseless accusation” along with CM Siddaramaiah.
“The way you and your cabinet minister Priyank Kharge are celebrating this baseless accusation shows your childishness, not your political acumen. If you have the courage, let’s see if we can allow the CBI investigation into the Muda scam against you without raising any objections to the writ petition filed in the High Court seeking a CBI investigation,” read the post by Vijayendra.
