The Hindu : Farmers got low rates for land: Deve Gowda

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Farmers got low rates for land: Deve Gowda

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE Dec. 27. To draw attention to the "injustice" meted out to farmers in the land acquisition for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, will present "related documents" in the next few days. He visited the affected farmers in Madanayakanahalli and Madavara, on the outskirts of the city, on Saturday, and interacted with them.

Talking to presspersons, Mr. Deve Gowda said farmers were paid low rates for their land, which was acquired by the Government in the name of the BMIC. He alleged that the land was resold. He said he would place all the documents related to the project and the land acquisition, including the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 1995, before the public in a day or two. He was doing this not as a former Prime Minister but as a representative of his constituency, to bring out the injustice meted out to the people, he added.

On the Government's decision to hand over the investigation of the stamp paper racket to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Mr. Deve Gowda said it was delayed by almost two-and-a-half years, which could prove costly to the probe. The credit for unearthing the scam should go to the then Police Commissioner of Bangalore, H.T. Sangliana, according to him.

He wondered if anybody could defend the Government hesitation to hand over the probe to the CBI even after the Congress governments of Delhi, Kerala, and Maharastra had opted for it. He said the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, who wanted to fight corruption, could have directed the Government to agree to a CBI probe.

Terming the scam a "national shame", Mr. Deve Gowda said the CBI should not spare any individual or political party.On the Large- and Medium-scale Industries Minister, R.V. Deshpande's remarks, he said: "Mr. Deshpande doesn't need to give me any certificate" on how a former Prime Minister should conduct himself.

To a query on the Chief Election Commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh's statements describing politicians as corrupt, Mr. Deve Gowda said he liked Mr. Lyngdoh's categorical and fearless remarks.

On the Janata Dal (Secular) leader, M.P. Prakash's reported "advice" to him not to criticise the Chief Secretary, B.S. Patil, Mr. Deve Gowda said: "Mr. Prakash is a mature leader. When the entire picture is put before him, he will be able to come to a conclusion."

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Farmers got low rates for land: Deve Gowda