The former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, on Saturday accused the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party of having scuttled a discussion on illegal mining and looting of mineral wealth during the just-concluded Parliament session.
“Permission had been sought for a detailed discussion under Rule 193 and an assurance had been given for such a discussion. However, it could not take place as both the Congress and the BJP did not want it.” They were not even ready for a discussion on illegal mining, he told journalists here.
“I was asked to raise the issue during zero hour, which I refused as discussion cannot be held in detail,” he said, adding his Janata Dal (Secular), the AIADMK, the TDP and the Left had sought the discussion. On another occasion, when the discussion could have taken place, “I was told that the Mining Minister was sick and could not attend the session.”
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Mr. Gowda said the Union government should take immediate steps to check illegal and unlawful activities to loot the national wealth. “Who will stop this loot until the next session convenes?”
The former Prime Minister, seeking the Centre's intervention, urged the setting up of a nodal agency to monitor the inquiries and litigation against Karnataka Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy and his family in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.