Yeddyurappa to Make Assets Public on Feb 6
Belgaum, Feb 5 (IANS): Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday said he would on Sunday make public his assets in response to continued allegations by opposition parties that he has amassed billions of rupees after coming to power in May 2008.
"I will follow the suggestion of our (Bharatiya Janata Party's) senior leader L.K. Advani and declare my assets Sunday," he told reporters in this north Karnataka town, 500 km from Bangalore, two days after Janata Dal-Secular party claimed his assets were worth Rs.1,000 crore (Rs.10 billion).
Advani had suggested Feb 1 that all party chief ministers and senior leaders should make public their assets.Yeddyurappa accused the JD-S and Congress of continuing to level "baseless" allegations against him and not accepting his challenge to produce evidence to back their claims.
He also attacked Governor H.R. Bhardwaj for "trying to destabilize" the first BJP government in the state."The governor and opposition parties efforts will not succeed," Yeddyurappa asserted, and reiterated that he would quit the moment evidence was produced to prove opposition charges of corruption and illegal land deals against him.
The chief minister and his kin are facing five complaints filed in a Bangalore court by two advocates after Bhardwaj gave sanction to prosecute Yeddyurappa over corruption and illegal land deals.
The court is yet to take congnisance of the complaints and hearing on the issue is to resume Feb 14.Yeddyurappa is accused of allotting prime land in and around Bangalore to his two sons, one of whom B.Y. Raghavendra is a BJP Lok Sabha member, his daughter, his son-in-law, his sister and her daughter and son-in-law.
While Yeddyurappa has not petitioned the court against taking cognizance of the complaints, his son-in-law R.N. Sohan Kumar has done so, contending that the same allegations were being probed by the state Lokayukta (ombudsman).
JD(S) presses for action against CM, children for illegal land purchases
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Feb 5: Even as the ruling BJP and opposition JD(S) as also Congress leaders are busy in trading charges against each other with two independent lawyers going to the extent of filing criminal prosecution proceedings against Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, JD(S) State General Secretary and spokesman Y S V Datta has urged the Chief Secretary S V Ranganath to direct the Revenue Department officials to initiate action against Yeddyurappa for allegedly violating the provisions of Karnataka Land Reforms Act.
Datta, the JD(S) MLC, who is responsible for Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde’s decision for initiating inquiry against the alleged land scams and other irregulartieis against Yeddyurappa, has in a detailed letter with bulky enclosures of official documents alleged that the Chief Minister was guilty of violating Sections 79A and 79B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act 1961,
Releasing copies of the letter to the chief secretary to the media, Datta alleged that Yeddyurappa had violated the Land Reforms Act by purchasing 9 acres 12 guntas of agricultural land in Survey No, 131/1a at Shiralakoppa vilalgve of Shikaripura taluk of Shimoga district on January 1, 2007 for a consideration of Rs 16.96 lakh.
Datta claimed that the basis for his request for initiating action against the Chief Minister is the latter’s declaration regarding his assets and liabilities before the Lokayukta for the calendar year 2007.
``Yeddyurappa as per his own declaration has an average non-agricultural income exceeding Rs 2 lakh per annum as per the assets and liabilities statement filed for the period of 2002-07,” the JD(S) leader said and pointed out that the authorized officers concerned were ``hesitating” to initiate proceedings regarding the alleged violation.
``Hence, I am requesting your authority to give direction to the Assistant Commissioner concerned of the Revenue Sub-Division to take action under Section 79A and 79B of the Land Reforms Act,” Datta said in his letter.
The JD(S) leader has alleged that the Chief Minister’s son B Y Raghavendra was also guilty of purchasing agricultural land in violation of the Land Reforms Act as per the declaration filed by the latter before the Lok Sabha Speaker regarding the assets and liabilities by virtue of being the Shimoga Lok Sabha member and demanded that legal action be taken against him.
Datta has also demanded legal action under the Land Reforms Act for its alleged violation by the Chief Minister’s second son B Y Vijayendra, sons-in-law R N Sohan Kumar and B S Udaya Kumar as well as against Yeddyurappa’s daughter B S Umadevi. The Prerana Educational and Social Trust, involving Yeddyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra and other family members, was also guilty of violation of the provisions of Land Reforms Act, Datta said demanding action against all.