JDS dares Govt to order probe into de-notification scam

October 02, 2010 05:26 pm | Updated 05:26 pm IST - Bangalore

A file photo of JDS leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka H.D.Kumaraswamy. Photo: K. Gopinathan

A file photo of JDS leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka H.D.Kumaraswamy. Photo: K. Gopinathan

Former Karnataka Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy today challenged the BJP Government in the State to order a probe into the de-notification of lands during his regime, disregarding an appeal by a group of ruling party leaders for an halt to ‘mudslinging acts’

“I stand by my allegations and accept the challenge. I am ready to face any kind of inquiry. Let the Chief Minister order it. Let the inquiry find out whether I indulged in favouritism or nepotism, as done by Mr. Yeddyurappa”, Mr. Kumaraswamy, State unit President of JDS, told a press conference here.

“We cannot be cowed down by threats. I will continue to expose the misdeeds of this government”, he said reacting to BJP MP D B Chandre Gowda’s threat that if the “mud slinging” acts by JDS did not stop, irregularities that took place while de-notifying lands by Mr. Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister would be made public.

Earlier in the day, coming to the defence of Mr. Yeddyurappa, a group of BJP leaders, led by Chandre Gowda, appealed to opposition parties particularly, the JDS, to “halt mud slinging acts and defaming Karnataka in streets.”

Addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister’s Home Office “Krishna”, they said “let us stop washing the dirty linen in public and try to reconcile ourselves.”

Mr. Kumaraswamy said his party would take the issue of land de-notification and allotment of sites by Mr. Yeddyurappa to his son B Y Raghavendra, MP, to legal forums.

In a fresh allegation, the third in the series since last week, he charged Mr. Yeddyurappa with de-notifying ten acres of land in Nagawara area after the Bangalore Development Authority had allotted the sites and the allottees had built houses. It was a violation of Supreme Court order, he claimed.

Mr. Yeddyurappa had yesterday admitted that he had de-notified 7.5 acres under powers vested with him but dismissed as “baseless” and a “figment of imagination” allegations of irregularities levelled by Mr. Kumaraswamy against him.

Hitting back at Mr. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Chandragowda alleged that he had de-notified 275.21 acres of land including 60 acres in favour of a private firm during his regime in 2007.

“People making allegations should get ready to face them first. We will be constrained to bring out irregularities that took place during Mr. Kumaraswamy regime including on de-notification of lands”, Mr. Gowda, a former speaker warned.

“It is not fair to indulge in character assassination of Mr. Yeddyurappa. He has got mandate to rule for five years. Allow him to rule. We know the family politics of H. D. Devegowda”, Mr. Gowda, who was in Janata parivar for a long time, said.

He also charged when the State was under a spell of Presiden’t rule, then Governor Rameshwar Thakur had ordered de-notification of 127.21 acres.

Minister for Labour B. N. Bacchegowda and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister B. J. Puttaswamy were also present.

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