``No comparison with Chavan,” says Yeddy
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Nov 15: Faced with opposition charges and embarrassing media exposures on the various alleged land scams in favour of his sons, daughter and son-in-law, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa declared that there was no question of his stepping down from office following the example of his ousted Maharashtra counterpart Ashok Chavan, who was forced. to resign on the alleged irregularities in the Adarsh Housing Society scandal.
``I have not shown any favoritism to my sons nor violated any laws,” he said claiming that the KIADB allotted land as per the rules.
The Chief Minister, who addressed a news conference in Bangalore on Monday, blasted the opposition parties for leveling baseless and unfounded allegations against him.
``The decisions in the land allotment or denotifications are perfectly legal. All the rules and past precedents have been followed,” he said making it clear that his actions cannot be compared with those of the ousted Maharashtra Chief Minister.
``The Congress and JD(S) parties are living in a fool’s paradise and will be utterly disappointed if they think they can force me to quit and come to power through their politics of manipulation,” he said and said: ``I will ensure that the opposition parties remain in the opposition ranks for another 20 years.’’
A combative Chief Minister boldly predicted: ``I will continue as the Chief Minister for another two-and half years with the support of my party legislators and cooperation of national leaders.”
Defending the land allotments or denotifications done by his government, Yeddyurappa said he would order a comprehensive probe into all land allotments and denotifications during the last 10 years by a retired judge of the Supreme Court.
Maintaining that denotification of lands was not a new issue, he said the S M Krishna government denotified 633.33 acres during 2000-03, 110.33 acres by Dharam Singh, 346.23 acres by Kumaraswamy governments and 124.31 acres during the President’s rule (November 2007 to May 2008) and 259.18 acres by the BJP government since June, 2008.
2-day Session on Land Scams soon
The official notification on the institution of a judicial probe by the retired judge of the apex court would be issued in the next 3 to 4 days, he said announcing that a two-day special session of the state legislature would be convened shortly for an exclusive debate on the entire alleged land scams and other related issues.
Yeddyurappa claimed that he had not indulged in any nepotism or favouritism in the allotment of lands to his sons - B Y Raghavendra, MP, and B Y Vijendra - and asserted that the two-acre plot had been allotted by KIADB by Fluid Power Technologies Private Ltd, a firm promoted by his sons at Jigani by following all rules.
Defending allotment of land for a firm promoted by sons, the Chief Minister said land had been allotted for industrial purposes for Prasad Deshpande, son of former State Congress president R V Deshpande; State Congress chief G Parameshwar; T Prabhakar, ex-chairman, KSRTC; and several other persons.
``What is wrong in allotting a two-acre plot as per the rules to a firm promoted my sons,” he asked.
The Chief Minister attacked the Opposition parties for their ``malicious propaganda” to damage the image of his family by ``levelling baseless and trivial charges.”
Defending allotment of a BDA housing site to Raghavendra in the city, he contended: ``I followed practices adopted by previous governments in allotment of `G’ category sites. Sites cannot be allotted strictly following BDA rules. If one strictly follows the BDA rules then all sites allotted in the ``G’’ category will have to be taken back.”
``Everybody has done it!”
He said the J H Patel government allotted 149 ``G’’ category sites, 334 sites by S M Krishna, 76 sites by Dharam Singh, and 288 sites by H D Kumaraswamy governments and 136 sites to legislators and MPs of Opposition and ruling party by his government so far.
Yeddyurappa said the allegations on land allotment for industrial projects and land denotifications against the BJP government by the opposition parties against him were ``frivolous” and blamed the former chief minister and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy of
``hatching a conspiracy to tarnish the government’s image by hurling false and baseless allegations.
The Chief Minister declared that he would expose what he termed as ``misdeeds” of some of his predecessors, including his earlier coalition government partner H D Kumaraswamy in the coming days.”
``Kumaraswamy allotted six acres of land to his brother H D Balakrishna near Whitefield when he was the chief minister,” he said and accused the Congress opposition leader in the assembly for exerting pressure on him to order denotification of six acres of land March 2010 to Dr Mallikarjunaswamy at Kengeri on the city outskirts.
He said after withdrawal of support by the BJP to the JD(S)-BJP government in 2007, Kumaraswamy recommended allotment of 25 acres to Opto Circuits Ltd promoted by Nanje Gowda in Hassan, 25 and 19.36 acres to Brigade Enterprises in Mangalore and Mysore respectively, and 25 acres to Kalyani Developers in Mysore.
The BJP would focus Opposition’s allegations and non-cooperation to the Government a major issue during the coming zilla and taluk panchayat poll campaign.
``You (opposition) go to the people with a list of allegations against me and my family. I will go with the achievements of the government during the last 30 months,” he said holding a booklet containing achievements of the Government