Referring to the arrest of the Reddy brothers in connection with the illegal mining case, the Communist Party of India on Tuesday demanded that the Central Bureau Investigation act against the Reddys' other partners as well and confiscate their properties. Reacting to the arrest made in the case by the CBI, the party's Central Secretariat said the action was delayed.
“It has is in fact been very late in taking action against illegal mining. Due to the negligence of the Union and the State governments, thousands of crores of rupees worth iron ore was illegally mined, and exported, causing huge loss to the nation,” the party said in a statement. “Illegal mining is not limited to one State and crossed the borders… the cases should be clubbed…it is shocking to note that the Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Minister of Karnataka and a former Chief Minister are protesting the arrest of Mr. Janardhan Reddy, thus openly supporting corruption and misuse of power,” the statement said.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury said separately that the party had been raising the issue for the past several years and demanding that illegal mining activities be stopped. Stating that the party's stand had been vindicated, he said the government should ensure that justice was delivered since crores of rupees had been looted.
