The former Minister and Congress leader B.K. Chandrashekar has taken exception to former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda’s recent statement blaming the Congress high command for the State government’s inaction against encroachers of government lands.
Mr. Gowda had said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was “inclined and serious about eviction of encroachers in and around Bengaluru, but his hands were tied as he had to abide by the high command’s direction.”
Prof. Chandrashekar said the “party high command neither interfered with the Chief Minister’s decision nor has it any reason to protect the interest of the rich and the powerful, who have encroached public lands.”
The Congress leader asked Mr. Gowda to come out with specific information, if he had any, to take action against land encroachers.
Prof. Chandrashekar said it would be better on the part of the Chief Minister to respond immediately to Mr. Gowda’s comments.
