Bellary mining: JD(S),Left set to force discussion in House

The JD(S) leader said Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde,a former judge of the Supreme Court,had indicted the Reddy brothers for mining beyond the leased area and far more excessively than the quantities permitted besides shifting boundary markers between Karnataka and Andhra and exporting the illegally mined ore abroad. But the B S Yeddyurappa government had failed to initiate any action following the report,he added. The Indian Express had reported extensively on the issue a month ago.

Deve Gowda claimed the Reddy brothers were having a free run in Bellary as they are also state ministers. He estimated their current wealth at Rs 45,000 crore,mostly acquired in recent years. He said it was ironical that the BJP,which took a high moral ground over allegations against Shashi Tharoor,did not find it necessary to ask Reddy brothers to give up their ministerial positions in view of the allegations against them. It was time for the Central leadership of the principal opposition party to stem the rot in Karnataka and check the loot of forest and mineral resources with the connivance of the state machinery.