The former Chief Minister and Karnataka Janata Paksha president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Friday demanded that the Congress government table the former Karnataka Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde’s report on illegal mining in the Legislative Assembly.
The report had indicted Mr Yeddyurappa for abetting illegal mining in the State. He was forced to step down as Chief Minister in 2011 following indictment by the report.
Mr. Yeddyurappa asked the government to order commission of inquiry on illegal mining, allotment of ‘G’ category sites in Bangalore, denotification of land and allotment of industrial lands by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board from 1999 till date.
Speaking on motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the joint session of the legislature, Mr. Yeddyurappa claimed that he was removed from the position of Chief Minister because he tried to “prevent illegal mining in the State”. He wrote to the Union government to ban export of iron ore and strengthened check posts to prevent its illegal movement in the State and across the border.
The KJP leader lashed out at the BJP national leaders, Mr. Hegde and the Governor of the State for “falsely indicting him” in the illegal mining case. He was remanded in judicial custody for 24 days even before the inquiry on illegal mining was completed, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.
