Bangalore: Rs 450 Crore KHB Housing Scam Stalls Assembly
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
BANGALORE, July 15: For the second consecutive day, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly proceedings were stalled over the alleged Rs 450 crore scam over the purchase of 959 acres of land in Shidlagatta in Chikkaballapur district by the Karnataka Housing Board during the tenure of former housing minister S N Krishnaiah Setty.
The entire Congress and JD(S) members staged a dharna in the well of the house demanding a CBI probe into the entire scandal resulting in adjournment of the day’s proceedings four times and frequent meetings in the chamber of the assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar to resolve the impasse. With the deadlock remaining unresolved and both the government and opposition refusing to budge from their position, the proceedings became a casualty.
While the JD(S) members, who had sought to raise the issue in the form of an adjournment motion on Tuesday and later settled for a discussion under another rule, climbed down from their original position in favour of a CBI probe if the government agreed to a comprehensive probe the Lokayuta, the Congress members insisted on a CBI probe and joined the JD(S) members in staging the dharna in the well of the house.
As soon as the House assembled, JD(S) and Congress members trooped into well of the house and shouted slogans against the BJP Government. Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said the Government was misleading the House by not revealing facts related to the multi-crore housing project scam, which involved former Minister, officials of the KHB and the Housing Department.
The Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday had agreed to an inquiry by the Additional Chief Secretary into the purchase of land by the KHB during the last five years for housing projects in different parts of the State.
Siddaramaiah wondered how such a huge housing project could be carried out by KHB without bringing the matter to the notice of the Finance Department and the Cabinet or the Chief Minister and said the Opposition was not convinced by the reply given by Yeddyurappa.
``The government is trying to mislead the house and the public. It was not really interested in coming out with the truth,’’ he said pointing out that the Chief Minister himself admitted that 30 acres and 31 guntas of land had been purchased for Rs 15.39 crore.
Congress as well as JD(S) leaders sought a CBI probe into the matter and demanded suspension of KHB senior officials pending the inquiry.
Siddaramaiah, JD (S) floor leader H D Revanna, Congress deputy leader T B Jayachandra, H C Balakrishna and Bandeppa Kashempur of JD(S) insisted on CBI probe into the alleged land scandal. They also demanded suspension of the Housing Department Secretary and KHB Commissioner for their alleged role in the land scam.
Speaker Jagadish Shettar appealed to members to withdraw their dharna and allow the house to conduct proceedings as per the day’s agenda. The proceedings had to be adjourned as many as four times and finally for the entire day without conducting any business. The stalemate is likely to continue for the third day on Thursday as well.