Sticking to their demand for a CBI probe into the illegal iron ore mining and exports scam, the Opposition Congress and JD(S) continued their dharna today in the Karnataka Assembly, leading to adjournment of the House for the day.
Opposition members stayed in the Assembly overnight, sleeping in the lobby, with no let-up in their demand for a CBI enquiry into what Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah termed a “Rs 20,000 crore scam”. As the House met today, slogans — “We want CBI (probe)” and “we want justice” — rent the air, as the Opposition, staging a dharna in the well, sought to mount pressure on the BJP government to accede to their demand.
Repeated requests by Speaker K G Bopaiah, asking members to go back to their seats, fell on deaf ears as the Opposition and ruling party members tried hard to make themselves heard. The House was then adjourned for the day. It will meet tomorrow.
Later, Siddaramaiah told reporters the Opposition would not budge from its stand and would continue the dharna till the government ordered a CBI probe. “If he (B S Yeddyurappa) is innocent, why is he afraid to order a CBI probe?” he asked, alleging that the chief minister, who is holding portfolios like forests, mining and geology and finance, is “directly involved” in the scam.
“Those engaged in illegal mining are in his government,” Siddaramaiah said without naming ministers from Bellary district and mining barons G Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy. “He (Yeddyurappa) is scared of them. He wants to retain his chair,” he said.
The government, in its reply to a debate on illegal mining in the Assembly admitted that over three crore tonnes of iron ore was illegally shipped from ports of the state in the past seven years, including over one crore tonnes in the last two years. In the legislative Council, protesting Opposition members wrapped black stoles around their necks seeking a CBI probe into illegal mining and staged a dharna and the House was also adjourned for the day.
The issue of illegal mining in the state has been rocking both the Houses since last few days. Both, Congress and JD(S) have insisted that nothing short of a CBI enquiry would bring out the truth on illegal mining, as it involved inter-state and international operations in view of the large-scale export of iron ore. Lok Ayukta or the CID is ill-equipped to probe scam of such magnitude and scale, Siddaramaiah said.
Opposition MLAs came to the Assembly yesterday wearing helmets, saying they had been threatened by the BJP’s legislators. Both, Congress and JD(S) have insisted that nothing short of a CBI inquiry would bring out the truth on illegal mining, as it involved inter-state and international operations in view of large-scale iron ore export.
Lok Ayukta or CID is ill-equipped to probe a scam of such magnitude, Siddaramaiah said. The Opposition leader demanded investigation into the scam, including that which took place during the tenure of earlier governments by CBI. The Congress has termed illegal mining as the “scam of the century”.
Responding to a questions, Siddaramaiah said the Opposition is also pressing for imposition of President’s Rule in the State. “Law and order has collapsed. The government has failed to protect the interests of the State’. He said it appears as if (mineral-rich) Bellary district is a separate state, not even part of Karnataka.
Congress would stage a ‘padayatra’ from here to Bellary after conclusion of the current session and hold a huge rally in Bellary, he said. Congress and JD(S) have repeatedly targeted Karnataka Ministers and brothers G Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy, who are also mining barons hailing from Bellary.
