The ruling BJP in Karnataka today sought to turn the heat on the Congress and JD(S) regarding the raging illegal mining issue by releasing a booklet on the “mess”.
Titled “Who is responsible for the mining mess in Karnataka?” it noted that based on the report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the Supreme Court had recently ordered the suspension of 19 mining leases.
“It is pertinent to note that all the 19 cases pertain to the periods of the previous Congress and JD(S) governments and not even one single recommendation for mining lease with respect to the above cases were made by the present BJP government!” according to the booklet, released at a press conference by BJP leader D B Chandre Gowda, also a Lok Sabha member.
Noting that the Supreme Court on May 6 had ordered the joint inspection of 99 mining licenses to ascertain if any illegal mining had taken place outside their leased area, it said not even one of them were granted during the BJP government’s tenure.
The BJP said that Karnataka had witnessed the birth and the growth of “mining lobbies” both with respect to granite and iron ore during the regimes of the Congress and JD(S) governments.
“Both parties have actively and patiently encouraged the mining mafia and have given a fillip to illegal mining with active collusion of corrupt officers positioned by the then governments,” the party alleged.
It was during the period of the then chief minister N Dharam Singh that the decision was taken to allow movement of iron ore dumped illegally on “patta” lands by issuing despatch permits, it said.
“This was an extremely damaging decision which the Congress chief minister took despite the then Secretary of the Department concerned informing clearly that the sanction of patta lands and transport of such ore is against the law,” the booklet said.
Despite this, Dharam Singh had ordered for the issue of permits, it said, adding, Lok Ayukta of Karnataka has held that the action is against public interest and is unlawful and has recommended for its recovery from Dharam Singh of the loss caused to the government amounting to Rs 23.22 crore.
BJP said, the then governor Rameshwar Thakur who was appointed by the Congress-led government at the Centre, has passed orders to drop the case against Dharam Singh citing flimsy grounds.
“The state government was not even consulted before the governor took such a decision. Very conveniently, the Congress governor decides to drop the case against a Congress chief minister despite written recommendation of an independent agency like the Lokayukta,” the party said.
According to the booklet, H D Kumaraswamy (JD-S) had recommended the highest number of 47 iron ore leases in a short span of only 20 months that the party was in power.
“As many as 22 of the 47 recommendations were made in the last 15 days of his rule. This was after the coalition partner BJP withdrew support to the government. Does one need any further examples of illegality and immorality,” it said.
BJP said it was during Kumaraswamy’s time as Chief Minister that nearly Rs 167 crore had gone into the accounts of BSK Trading, a company dealing in iron ore trading and owned by his brothers and sisters.
