Bengaluru: Caught in a row over the controversial Jindal Steel land deal, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy Tuesday said the government's decision on sale of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel in Ballari will be reconsidered and placed before the cabinet once again for discussion.
"I have discussed about the sale of land with deputy chief minister G. Parameshwar and Industries minister K.J. George. I have instructed them to reconsider it and place it before the cabinet once again for discussion," he said.
The state cabinet had recently decided convert the lease of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel in Ballari into a sale deed, in accordance with the initial agreement. State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Sunday had alleged that the ruling coalition had got kickbacks.
Accusing the government of selling the land to the company at a throwaway price, the BJP has announced that it will stage a three-day protest in Bengaluru from June 13. Causing embarrassment to the coalition, senior Congress leader H.K. Patil has been opposing the sale, by writing a series of letters to the government.
He has maintained that the company had been accused of illegal mining and that it owed dues to the government and state-run Mysore Minerals Ltd.
Amid the row, JSW Steel chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal had Saturday said, "The company never does anything "illegal" or to "disadvantage" to the people of Karnataka.”
