The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Bangarappa seeks CBI probe into ‘scams’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 20, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Bangarappa seeks CBI probe into ‘scams’

Special Correspondent

S. Bangarappa

BANGALORE: The State unit president of the Samajwadi Party S. Bangarappa has demanded a CBI inquiry into “scams” under the coalition governments in the past 40 months.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Mr. Bangarappa also raised the issue of illegal mining and encroachment of government land by the land mafia.

Mr. Bangarappa said his party would touch upon these issues during the election campaigning.

Quoting the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Bangarappa said the mining contracts had been given to leaders of Congress, Janata Dal (S) and BJP.

He said thousands of acres of prime land had been taken over by political leaders, affecting the poor.

All these would have to be thoroughly probed and those responsible for it should be brought to book, the former Chief Minister said.

Stating that the Sakrama scheme was a burden on the people, Mr. Bangarappa described it as unscientific and irrational.

The State unit president of the Samajwadi Party said the fees and fines were not only exorbitant, but also unjustifiable.

Mr. Bangarappa said his party had begun preparations for Assembly elections, and he preferred them to be held in last week of April or the first week of May.

To begin with, Mr. Bangarappa said his party would organise a conference of the backward classes followed by a farmers’ convention.

The dates of both these events were yet to be decided, he added.

The State committee of the party would meet in Hubli on December 22.

In answer to a question, Mr. Bangarappa said he already had a round of talks with M.P. Prakash, but there was no clear indication from Mr. Prakash about his plans. Mr. Bangarappa said the doors of the Samajwadi Party were always open for Mr. Prakash.

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