Bengaluru: State BJP general secretary and Udupi-Chikmagalur MP, Shobha Karandlaje on Friday questioned the silence of former CM Siddaramaiah on the outright sale of 3667 acres of land to the Jindal Steel Company despite strong opposition to it from his own party colleagues.
Speaking to reporters here, she said the state Cabinet's decision to sell the land to the steel company at a throwaway price was suspicious when it had leased it for a period of ten years in the past.
"Now 2000.58 acres are being sold in Torangallu and Karekuppa villages and 1666 acres in Musenayakanahalli and Yarabanahalli villages to the company. The great hurry to sell this land, which has deposits of iron ore worth crores, for a pittance is very suspicious. Despite the provision for renewal of the lease, the government wants to sell it at Rs 1.3 lakh per acre," she said, adding that the state BJP would stage a three-day dharna in Bengaluru from June 13 demanding a reversal of the Cabinet decision.
The BJP leader alleged that water resources minister, D K Suresh and major industries minister K J George were behind the land deal and the appointment of minister D K Shivakumar as district-in-charge of Ballari, turned the needle of suspicion on him too."Mr Siddaramaiah who held a padayatra from Bengaluru to Ballari against illegal mining, is now silent. He owes an explanation. The CM has gone mute on the issue, perhaps because of his friendship with Shivakumar," she charged. Calling the government's statement that the company would not having any mining rights on the 3666 acres sold to it, a lie, she warned the BJP would intensify its stir if it did not change its mind.
