Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 7: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, R V Deshpande, termed the Chief Minister’s (CM) proposal to discuss the issue of illegal mining in the coming legislature session, as the height of stupidity.

When the pressmen questioned him on the CM’s reiteration that the mining issue would be taken up threadbare at the legislature session, Deshpande pointed out that the government has failed to take any action on the report on illegal mining already submitted by the Lokayukta. “The government failed to respond to 14 letters written by the union ministry of mining about illegal mining in the state. In the backdrop CM's act of proposing to discuss the illegal mining issue in the legislature session is nothing but height of stupidity,” he said.

Deshpande insisted that the government is in the grip of the Reddy brothers, and that the CM is shaken by the way the Reddys have showed their might. This is exactly the reason for his dithering in the matter of referring illegal mining issue to the Central Bureau of Investigation, he asserted.

"The Chief Minister is becoming a laughing stock because of his reckless statements," Deshpande said, and expressed the confidence that the Congress party candidates have a bright chance in the ensuing council election, as the party has struck a deal with the JD(S).

Addressing the Congress Party workers after visiting the district unit of the party, Deshpande derided Yeddyurappa for trying to assert his supremacy by transferring officials who were close to the mining barons, and than wilting under pressure and retransferring them to their original places. "This shows who is exercising the powers of the CM," he commented. He also criticized the BJP MLAs from north Karnataka for enjoying in resorts when people of their constituencies were reeling under floods. He also decried the energy minister, K S Eshwarappa, for talking of providing power without any cuts, and then being unable to supply power even for a quarter of the day.

AICC general secretary,Oscar Fernandes, MLC, Pratapchandra Shetty, former MP, Vinaykumar Sorake, district Congress president, M A Gafoor and several others were present.