Mining to dominate Karnataka legislature session Beginning on Monday
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Dec 13: The brief winter session of Karnataka legislature commencing on Monday is expected to be a stormy affair with the alleged illegal mining and the CBI probe into the activities of the companies owned by the Bellary mining barons – two of whom Gali Janardhana Reddy and Gali Karunakara Reddy serving as cabinet ministers – as well as the recent dissident struggle and chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s ``political surrender’’ are expected to dominate the deliberations.
Though the opening day’s deliberations are expected to be confined to passing condolence resolution to mourn the dignitaries who passed away during the interregnum since the last legislature session, the Yeddyurappa regime’s recent actions of resorting to lathi charge against farmers in Chitradurga, Davanagere and Chamarajanagar districts is also expected to figure prominently.
The Yeddyurappa regime’s failure to chalk out proper programmes for the rehabilitation of the flood affected people of north Karnataka and the alleged irregularities in undertaking relief and rehabilitation operations as also in the disbursement and utilisation of the funds released by the Centre would be another major issue that will hog limelight during the session.
According to informed sources, both the houses of the state legislature are expected to be adjourned after the first day’s sittings to enable the members to take part in the elections to the 23 seats to the state legislative council, including 19 from the local authorities’ constituencies, slated for December 18, the counting of which will be held on December 21. The adjourned sitting of the legislature is expected to commence from December 22 and continue till the month-end.
However, a final decision on the date of resuming the sittings of both houses of the state legislature will be taken at the joint business advisory committee convened by the assembly’s deputy speaker K G Bopaiah and council chairman Veeranna Mathikatti on Monday at 9 am.
The seat understanding between the opposition Congress and JD(S) for the legislative council elections and the consequent greater understanding among the floor leaders of the two parties is expected to add greater forced and thrust to the opposition against the ruling BJP.
The ongoing CBI investigation into the Obulapuram Mining Company as well as Ananthapur Mining Companies and other mining companies owned by the Bellary Reddy brothers along the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border areas as also in Bellary district plus the CBI raids on the offices belonging to the Bellary mining lords are likely to dominate the deliberations. The opposition parties are expected to demand and insist on the dismissal or dropping of the Bellary Reddy brothers in view of the CBI probe into their alleged illegal activities.
The chief minister, who had publicly rejected the demand for allowing a CBI probe from the state government and turned down the demand for dropping ministers Janardhana Reddy and Karunakara Reddy from the cabinet on the ground that no case had been made out against them, is said to have gathered files to defend the government and disclose details of the mining licences sanctioned by the previous governments, including the H D Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-BJP regime as also during the President’s rule.
The recent victory of sorts secured by the Bellary Reddy brothers with the Andhra Pradesh high court suspending the stay orders issued by the Congress-led K Rosaiah regime of the neighbouring state into the six mining companies owned by the former and allowing them to carry out their mining operations is sure to be used by the Bellary Reddy brothers to buttress their argument that the Congress and JD(S) were hatching a political conspiracy against them.
They have already been criticising the Telugu Desam leader and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Kumaraswamy and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda as well as Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, R V Deshpande and V S Ugrappa for indulging in vendetta politics against them.
Meanwhile, Janardhan Reddy, who held a separate news conference in the city on the eve of the state legislature ssssion, termed the Andhra Pradesh High Court order staying the state government and Centre’s orders banning mining and transportation of mines by Obulapuram Mining Company owned by him, as ``a slap on the Congress regimes in Andhra Pradesh and at the Centre.’’
He said hundreds of entrepreneurs had been indulged in iron ore business in the country. However the Congress regimes in Andhra Pradesh and at the Centre had been targeting group companies promoted by him. It was nothing but political vendetta. The court observation vindicated this, he asserted.
Reddy said he had been maintaining that the orders issued based on Central Empowering Committee were illegal. He had also stated that the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which submitted its report to the Supreme Court, had no mandate to give unilateral report on so called illegal mining. The high court observed reflected his version. It clearly observed that both the governments banned mining by his companies with prejudice.
The Congress, JD(S) and the Telagu Desam Party leaders ganged up to harm the business interest of his companies by carrying out false propaganda. Even after the court rebuff they had not stopped propaganda against his group. It only showed they had least respect about the judiciary. They had been chanting that "we are indulged in illegal mining".
Despite number of inquiries, not even a single allegation of illegal mining against his companies had been proved. His political Opponents appeared to have believed in the theory that a lie or a truth could be turned out to be other way round if they kept on repeating it. However, it would be the victory of truth at the end .
On the process of establishing Rs 20,000 crore Brahmani Steel Industries Pvt Ltd at Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, he said he ventured into it on the advice of the former chief minister Dr Y S Rajashekhar Reddy.
The ambitious project would provide direct jobs to 25,000 youth and innumerable indirect employment would also be created. Anyone who had slightest regard about the development would appreciate it. However, he regretted, his political adversaries had been trying to create stumbling blocks in the way.
Declaring that the steel plant was scheduled to synchronise by October 2010, he said: ``We have the blessings of God. Justice is our side. So, no one can stop the venture. It will be launched as per the schedule.’’
On the CBI raid on his companies and offices, Reddy claimed his companies and staff had given all cooperation to the investigating agency. It hardly perturbed him as he himself had filed a case in Supreme Court seeking probe into alleged illegal mining and Rs. 150 crore bribery charges against former chief minister Kuamaraswamy.
He pooh-poohed the statement issued by the KPCC president R V Deshpande that he (Reddy) had sought entry into Congress a month ago. ``We began our political career in BJP and it will end in that party if at all it is to. I pity fate of the Congress as habitual party-hoppers like Deshpande. The Deshpandes, Siddaramaiah and Ugrappa, who are all former Janata Dal leaders, cannot do anything to us or BJP,’’ he asserted.
He denied that they (Reddy brothers) had "lured away" hundreds of local body members from Bellary for the Legislative Council election. The rival parties had indulged in such propaganda fearing rout in the election. BJP would win majority of seats,’’ he added.