Stepping up its campaign against the BJP government in Karnataka on corruption issue, JDS today released a comprehensive list of alleged land and mining scams in the State and urged the Centre to use its agencies to probe them.
The booklet containing the charges would be circulated among Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, besides Shiv Sena and other NDA leaders, former prime minister H D Devegowda told reporters here.
“Corruption involving the BJP Government in Karnataka is in the order of Rs one lakh crore. It is not a notional loss as being projected in the 2G Spectrum scam. There are documentary evidences to prove the corruption charges against the B S Yeddyurappa Government”, the JDS supremo claimed.
Mr. Gowda said investigation agencies such as CBI, Enforcement Directorate and Customs and Mr. Mukherjee should order probe from any of these agencies.
The booklet contains documents pertaining to alleged land scams including controversial Bangalore—Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (BMIC) project, mining irregularities, land allotment and land denotifications titled “Karnataka Land and Mine Scandals put 2G to shame... Mahabharath yuddh against Mahabrasthachar”.
The BMIC scandals itself runs to Rs 30,000 crore, Mr. Gowda, whose party has been keeping up its onslaught against the Yeddyurappa Government, claimed. He had yesterday released a 10-point ‘chargesheet’ against the State government.
Mr. Gowda said his party would raise the Karnataka scandals in Parliament during the coming budget session and was ready to stage a dharna if the party was prevented by BJP from debating as it did in the 2G spectrum scam.
Mr. Gowda, who yesterday met State Governor H R Bhardwaj, said a copy of the booklet had also been given to him.
“The governor has written a letter to the Chief Minister stating that six of his ministerial colleagues have indulged in corruption”, Mr. Gowda claimed.
Three days ago, Mr. Bhardwaj, locked in a war of words with the Yeddyurappa Government, had declared that he has a list of corrupt people including some ministers and was ready to give it to anyone, a remark which evoked sharp response from BJP leaders who called him a Congress agent.
Mr. Yeddyurappa dropped his plans to call on the Governor to discuss the issue and had said his party would write a letter to President Pratibha Patil on Mr. Bharadwaj’s conduct.
