Acrimonious scenes marked proceedings in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday with opposition BJP and JD(S) protesting from the well of the House, demanding a discussion on the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi.

Citing rules, Speaker U T Khader on Wednesday rejected the Opposition’s notice for an adjournment motion on the MUDA case, causing a setback to their plans to corner Siddaramaiah and the Congress government.

The opposition thereafter had announced that they would stage “day-and-night” dharna in both Legislative Assembly and Council demanding discussion on the issue. The legislators of the two parties stayed back after the Assembly and Council were adjourned for the day on Wednesday and spent the night in the two Houses, continuing their protest.

As the House met for the day on Thursday, BJP and JD(S) members trooped into the well of the House, holding placards and shouting slogans.

Senior BJP MLA Sunil Kumar said: “Sites were taken in MUDA scam by violating all rules, but you (the Speaker) cite rules (while rejecting our demand for discussion). You don’t take up the issue for discussion. Were sites taken in accordance with rules?”

He alleged that the government was trying to “cover up and shut” the case. “There seems to be a fear that if discussion happens the truth will come out. Chair (Speaker’s post) is being used for it. Please reconsider your decision and allow discussion. Where should we discuss if not in the House?”

As Sunil Kumar and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka accused the government of running away from debate and trying to misuse the Chair for it, Congress MLAs including Ministers H K Patil and Cheluvarayaswamy took strong exception to this, resulting in some argument.

Alleging that it was a case of Rs 3000-4000 crore scam, Ashoka sought to know about the Chief Minister meeting the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Wednesday, and asked: “Has the Governor asked for an explanation on the MUDA scam?”

The Speaker then adjourned the House for some time.

When the House met again, BJP and JD(S) MLAs continued their protest from the well.

Ashoka, Sunil Kumar and other opposition leaders once again urged Speaker Khader to allow discussion on the MUDA scam.

Ashoka said a Dalit family’s land has been illegally taken away by obtaining the signature of one of their family members and without the consent of others, and alleged that the Chief Minister himself was involved in the scam.

“The CM who should protect things, is himself involved in the scam. This scam needs to be probed by CBI, CM should not remain in power even for a second,” he said. “Fourteen sites were given to CM and registered to his family in a single day,” Ashoka claimed.

Amid protest and sloganeering, the Speaker transacted the business of the House that saw several Ministers and heads of several House committees laying papers and reports on the table of the Assembly, and six bills being passed without any discussion.

Also, resolutions against the delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies based on the coming census, “One Nation, One Election” proposal and National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) were adopted amid protest by opposition parties, without any discussion.

It is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been “acquired” by the MUDA.

Several supporters of Siddaramaiah too have allegedly “benefitted this way,” BJP leaders alleged.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.

The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.