Pandemonium broke out in the state Assembly today after the Opposition raised the issue of alleged illegal mining scam leading to adjournment of the House for the day.
“I apologise to the people of Karnataka that I am not able to conduct the business,” speaker K G Bopaiah said adjourning the Assembly to meet tomorrow, shortly after it met this morning with Opposition Congress and JDS continuing their indefinite dharna in the House demanding CBI probe into the mining scam. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said Lok Ayukta was already probing the issue of illegal mining from 2002-03 and has “full powers” to conduct investigation in this regard.
“Let’s wait for the Lok Ayukta’s report,” he said, adding, ordering a CBI inquiry would lead to “delay” as the Lok Ayukta was already on the job. He sought to turn the tables on the Opposition saying, “There is a suspicion the Opposition is demanding CBI probe to bury the issue (mining scam) as mostly it’s the Congress and JD(S) leaders who are involved (in illegal mining and exports).”
Yeddyurappa asked why the then chief ministers S M Krishna and H D Deve Gowda chose not to order CBI investigation (whenever the then opposition demanded such probes).” Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah (Congress) said the loss to the state exchequer due to the scam was to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore.
He then started accusing the ruling BJP government in the state of not doing anything for those affected by the floods last year, which was objected to by the Chief Minister. As Siddaramaiah protested there were “attempts to curtail” his speech by ruling party members who were on their toes shouting anti-Opposition slogans, leading to din in the House as the Speaker adjourned it for the day.
“He is the ‘goonda’ Chief Minister. He cajoled ruling party MLAs to silence us. Only fascists can do like this,” a combative Siddaramaiah, who appeared visibly upset at the abrupt adjournment, told reporters later. “He (Yeddyurappa) is not handing over the probe to CBI as he is scared of Bellary brothers (tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy and revenue minister G Karunakara Reddy). He wants to save his chair. My inference is that Yeddyurappa has totally colluded with them,” he said. “Even today illegal mining is taking place in Bellary.”
Sticking to its stand, the government reiterated it would not order a CBI probe as home minister V S Acharya accused the Opposition of being “obsessed with CBI”.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress and JD(S) MLAs continued their dharna in the Assembly overnight to pressure the BJP government to order a CBI inquiry into the alleged illegal mining scam amid indications that the House might be adjourned sine die if the stalemate persists. “We will continue our dharna. There is no going back on our demand. If the government does not agree, we will go to the people,” leader of the Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah (Congress) said this morning.
Members of the Congress and JD(S) have closed their ranks in pushing for a CBI probe, and their bonhomie was evident as they tried to put the BJP government on the mat. They spent their second straight night on the premises of the Assembly — sleeping inside the House and in the lobby — as the issue snowballed.
JD(S) leader H D Revanna, son of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, described the “plundering” of iron ore in the past seven years as a “Rs 20,000 crore scam”. Yeddyurappa had earlier admitted in the Assembly over three crore tonnes of iron ore were illegally shipped from Karnataka ports in the last seven years, including over one crore tonnes in 2008-09 and 2009-10 period. Asked how the opposition would react if the House was adjourned sine die, Siddaramaiah said it would oppose it. There is time till July 31 for the Appropriation Bill to be passed, he noted.
Siddaramiah said the chief minister himself had admitted he was helpless in stopping illegal mining. “If he (Yeddyurappa) says he can’t stop illegal mining, who will protect the interests of the State?”
