From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 28: Former Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council B K Chandrasekhar on Saturday welcomed the Supreme Court order staying all proceedings and police probe into the alleged involvement of the External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in the Lokayukta court in the de-reservation of 11,620 sq. kms. of forest land in the State during his tenure as Chief Minister.

Prof Chandrasekhar, who was a member of the S M Krishna ministry when the decision was taken to de-reserve the forest land for mining was taken, said that the apex court has rightly rejected the contention of the senior advocate Prashant Bhushan opposing any stay of the proceedings.

The Congress leader contended that the Court rightly wanted to know the locus standi of Abraham David, who contested as the JD(S) candidate in the last elections and later joined BSP in filing the complaint against Krishna.

Prof Chandrashekar said court also wanted to know what public interest he was espousing by such a complaint should be properly demonstrated.

The Congress leader said the cabinet decision was recommendatory in nature and expressed his surprise over what the police could investigate into a policy matter, in which the former chief minister did not take any individual decision.

''Could a criminal liability be fixed on a cabinet decision,” he asked and remarked that it needs special jurisprudence.

While not directly responding to the question on whether such a defective policy ultimately helped Krishna's successors to 'misuse’ the de-reserved forest land for illegal mining, Prof Chandrashekar said the Legislative Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah was pressuring the Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and Karnataka State Wild Life Board Vice Chairman Anil Kumble to build a road in Pushpagiri forests of Kodagu district.

He said that everybody should oppose any meddling with the forests.