Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, May 13: Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday May 12, Congress leader, V S Ugrappa, launched a scathing attack on the mining barons from Bellary, Janardan Reddy and Karunkar Reddy, who also are state ministers. He said that the BJP national leaders, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu and state Chief Minister (CM), Yeddyrappa, have been getting a share in the money generated out of illegal mining in the state.

The press conference was held in the office of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. Ugrappa charged both the owners of the mines and the BJP leaders of forming a nexus in looting the rich natural wealth of the state, getting involved with illegal mining and violation of the state’s border. “Minister Janardan Reddy, based on the interim order of the Supreme Court, compares himself to ‘Punyakoti’. The CM is supporting him. If the order has spoken about giving clean chit to the minister, I will tender an unconditional apology to both Janardan Reddy and the CM. If not, both of them should apologize to the state’s citizens,” he challenged.

About Reddy’s comment that Congressmen are unemployed politicians earning illegal revenue from mines in Bellary, he asked Reddy to reveal his base and the party through which he had begun his political career. “If Reddy is so sure that he is neither conducting illegal mining, nor violating the state border, why did he question the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to hand over the investigation to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)?” he questioned. He also accused Janardan Reddy of owning double standards, reminding him that the latter had demanded for a CBI probe in a case of alleged corruption amounting to Rs 150 crore committed by an ex Chief Minister.

Former minister, K Diwakar Babu, former MP and K C Kondaiah among others were present at the press conference.