From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 17: Smelling a rat in the sudden decision of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in shunting out IAS officer H R Srinivas from the Geology and Mining Department from the key post of being its Director, JD(S) leader and former minister H D Revanna, who addressed a news conference in Bangalore on Friday, said the Siddaramaiah regime was acting to further the cause of the Congressmen, who had mining interests.

Revanna said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has no political commitment to take decisions to safeguard the interest of the State and stop illegal mining.

Srinivas, who had taken several steps to crackdown illegal mining, was shunted out from the Geology and Mining department.

Siddaramaiah had undertaken the Bangalore to Bangalore padayatra with a view to gain cheap publicity and capture the political power. But the real intention of the Congressmen, who joined the padayatra, was to protect the rich mine owners interested in exploiting the mineral resources of the State.

Honest and committed officials have been transferred from plump posts in various departments to safeguard the personal interests of various Congress leaders, the JD(S) leader alleged.

Why the Congress government refrained from seeking a CBI probe into illegal mining, Revanna asked.

The JD(S) leader urged the Election Commission of India to order a probe into the withdrawal of cash money from various bank accounts Congress leaders after the issue of notification to hold by-elections to the Mandya and Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituencies.

The by-elections to the two lok sabha constituencies are being held on August 21.

The JD(S) leader urged the EC to order the probe to find out amount of cash money drawn from bank accounts of Congress and JD(S) leaders after the poll notification was issued.

The Congress MLAs and Ministers have been camping in Bangalore Rural and Mandya Lok Sabha segments to garner votes, the JD(S) alleged.

Noting that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s critical caste remarks against Deve Gowda, the JD(S) leader said the Congress’s bus was loaded with several people and it would topple any time.

Instead of focusing the administration towards flood and rain deficit areas of the State, the Chief Minister has been spending time in lose talk and levelling charges against political opponents, the JD(S) leader alleged.