The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Chennigappa to quit Government in October

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Monday, Jul 09, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Chennigappa to quit Government in October

S. Rajendran

‘Politics is taking a toll on my health’

Chennigappa also speaks of quitting electoral politics
Charges against his pet project has upset Minister

C. Chennigappa

Bangalore: Minister for Forests and Ecology C. Chennigappa, who made it big in politics thanks to the support and encouragement from the former Prime Minister and president of the Janata Dal (S), H.D. Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is reportedly disillusioned and will quit the Government in October.

He told The Hindu here on Sunday that he would like to demit office on “health grounds.”

“I am not keeping well, and politics is taking a toll on my health.” Mr. Chennigappa said he would not like to be part of the next Government, which is expected to take charge in October with B.S. Yediyurappa as Chief Minister.

It is not that Mr. Chennigappa is unhappy with the BJP. He is stated to be upset with some sections in the JD (S) itself although he was quick to add that he would continue to work as per the directions of Mr. Deve Gowda and Mr. Kumaraswamy.

“I have dedicated myself to work for them and the party and I will continue to do that. I am not in good health and therefore there is no question of joining the next Government. After the term of the twelfth Legislative Assembly ends, I will not be in electoral politics,” he said.

Sources close to the Minister said he was disillusioned and disgusted over “certain developments,” but refrained from stating what they were. He along with Transport Minister N. Cheluvaraya Swamy were instrumental in extending support to Mr. Kumaraswamy to align with the BJP. Incidentally, when the coalition government under Dharam Singh was formed in 2004, Mr. Chennigappa became Minister for the first time and was given Cabinet rank.

Mr. Chennigappa said he had done his best as Minister. The revenue from the mining sector had increased to Rs. 300 crore from Rs. 50 crore revenue in 2006.

It is quite obvious that Mr. Chennigappa’s displeasure has come about following the charges levelled against his pet project — a residential school of Sri Maruthi Seva Samiti Trust, which he heads.

The trust had constructed the school at Nelamangala near Bangalore for the benefit of orphaned and destitute children. The charge against the boarding school was that it had violated environment laws. To this, the Minister said, “schools do not come under the purview of the environmental laws and this had been categorically clarified by the Government and the pollution control board. Further, the Sri Maruthi Seva Samiti Trust, which is the promoter of the project, had also paid the land conversion fees to the Revenue Department five years ago.

Over Rs. 23 crore had been spent on the project to provide free education and boarding to a large number of children. All the money had been raised through donations. “It is quite obvious that local political leaders have hatched a plot to defame me,” Mr. Chennigappa said.

To the report that the former Prime Minister had said that he did not want his name to be associated with the school (it is named H.D. Deve Gowda–Chennamma free international school for orphans), Mr. Chennigappa said he had requested the former Prime Minister to name the school after him. “I hope he does not raise any objection.”

However, the trust was also contemplating on naming the school after the Shivaganga Math seer if Mr. Deve Gowda insisted that the name be changed.

As per the original programme, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was scheduled to inaugurate the school in the presence of Governor T.N. Chaturvedi, Mr. Deve Gowda, Mr. Kumarswamy and a host of other political leaders. Following reports in a section of the media, the President has since declined to participate in it on the ground that presidential elections were round the corner. Mr. Chennigappa said the inaugural function would be held as scheduled on July 13.

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