The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : CEC report vindicates our charge: Congress

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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

CEC report vindicates our charge: Congress

Special Correspondent

Congress wants Yeddyurappa
to resign
‘We are fighting
the worst ever
corruption'

BANGALORE: Several Congress leaders on Saturday said the Central Empowered Committee report on illegal mining in Bellary district, submitted to the Supreme Court, vindicated the charges made by the party for the ouster of the B.S. Yeddyurappa Government. They demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister and said it is the duty of Bharatiya Janata Party senior leader L.K. Advani to advise him to relinquish his post.

Speaking to presspersons, V.S. Ugrappa, MLC K.C. Kondaiah, Basavaraj Rayareddy and S.T. Somasekhar said the Chief Minister had, on the floor of the legislature on July 12, 2010, admitted that iron ore worth Rs. 4,500 crore was illegally exported from Bellary district during 2009-10 right from under his nose. Yet, he had failed either to punish the Ministers or recover the money.

Mr. Ugrappa said the party committee, headed by him, had probed illegal mining in the State and Mr. Kondaiah had even complained to the authorities at the district and State-level. When that had failed, they had petitioned Governor H.R. Bhardwaj. Now, the CEC report had confirmed the charges made by the Congress, he said.

Chiding Mr. Yeddyurappa for saying Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy was not conducting any mining business in the State, Mr. Ugrappa and Mr. Kondaiah produced partnership deeds dated July 31, 2009, which proved otherwise. They said Mr. Reddy and his wife G. Lakshmi Aruna were the only partners of a mining firm called Associated Mining Company after two others retired at once.

Fear of attack

The leaders said they were fighting the worst ever corruption in the State, unmindful of the threat to their lives. If there was any physical attack on them, only the State Government was responsible, they added.

The CEC also informed the court of how mine owners had shared their booty with an educational trust in which the family members of a top leader in the Government were the trustees.

Mr. Reddy urged the mathadhipatis, especially those belonging to the Veerashaiva Lingayats to desist from supporting Mr. Yeddyurappa .

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