EYE ON LINGAYAT VOTE, SONIA PLANS TOUR OF KARNATAKA
Days after the Congress’s convincing victory in the bypolls, party chief Sonia Gandhi has decided to embark on a day-long tour of Karnataka on April 29 to attend the 105th birthday celebrations of Swami Shivakumara of Siddaganga math, and visit flood-affected areas in Tumkur.
Till his ouster as CM, BJP’S BS Yeddyurappa — a powerful Lingayat leader of the state — wielded considerable influence over Siddaganga and other Veerashaiva (Lingayat) maths.
Observers have attached political significance to Gandhi’s visit to the math. The seer, who heads 125 institutions and provides education and food to thousands of students, has a huge following across the state’s political and social spectrum.
The Lingayats had moved away from the Congress in 1990, when the leadership unceremoniously removed Veerendra Patil as CM in less than a year. He had earlier served as CM from May 1968 to March 1971.
With Yeddyurappa no longer holding sway and CM DV Sadananda Gowda making desperate efforts to win over the Lingayats, the Congress views this as a great opportunity to reconnect with the community.
Gandhi’s visit to drought-hit areas in Tumkur is aimed at cornering the BJP on relief work. The ruling BJP is facing flak even from its own leaders (including Yeddyurappa), over its handling of relief measures in drought-hit areas.
With the assembly elections less than a year away, Gandhi is also expected to give a strong message to the faction-ridden state Congress, telling them to close ranks and work towards bringing the party back to power.
“The victory in the UdupiChikmagalur bypoll is a strong indication that we can win the elections if we put up a united fight,” a senior leader said.
New Delhi: The Supreme Courts high-power environment panel on Friday recommended a CBI probe into alleged land transfer by former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to a mining company.In turn,the company helped his relatives reap windfall profits. In a report based on its investigation into charges levelled by NGO Samaj Parivartan Samuday,the central empowered committee (CEC) indicted the former CM,his sons Vijayendra and B Y Raghavendra and son-in-law R N Sohan Kumar for their involvement in the illegal allotment of land to South West Mining Limited. The CEC has found true the allegation that the Bangalore Development Corporation had allotted one acre of land from the Arkavathy layout plan after irregularly de-notifying the plot.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court panels report can pose a fresh hurdle for Yeddyurappa in his fight to return as CM and can prolong the tenure of incumbent Sadananda Gowda,whom the Yeddyurappa faction sees as a mere stand-in.The indictment also spells more trouble for the BJP in its stronghold of Karnataka as it thickens the already strong perception of sleaze that has enveloped the performance of its maiden government in the south. The CEC said this might not be a one-off case where officers of the state remained either silent or gave a complete go-by to public interest.The report,filed by CEC member secretary M K Jiwrajika,said the sale of land to South West Mining Ltd prima facie involves serious violations of the relevant Acts and prima facie misuse of office by then chief minister,Karnataka,thereby enabling his close relatives to make windfall profits,and raises grave issues relating to undue favour,ethics and morality. What shocked the CEC was the spread and extent of illegal mining that took place in Karnataka.It said a detailed investigation was needed to be carried out by the CBI in a time-bound manner into the massive illegalities and illegal mining which have been found to have taken place in Karnataka and the allegations made against the Jindal group as being recipient of large quantities of illegally mined material and undue favour shown to them in respect of mining lease of M/s Mysore Minerals Ltd (MML).TNN
Bangalore/New Delhi: Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa risks being jailed for alleged corruption,with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) deciding to oppose his plea for anticipatory bail.Yeddyurappa moved for the bail after CBI raids on his residential and commercial premises on Wednesday. The raids,which began at 6.30am,also covered residential and commercial establishments of his family members and aides.The CBI was asked by the Supreme Court to probe charges that the former CM gave concessions to two mining companies in exchange for monetary benefits for his family members. CBI teams also carried out searches at the premises of the two companies in question JSW Steel and South West Mining Company signalling the urgency of the agency,which has been asked by the SC to wrap up its probe by August 11. CBI sources in Bangalore and at the New Delhi headquarters said documents substantiating charges of corruption against Yeddyurappa were recovered. The agency had on Tuesday registered an FIR against Yeddyurappa and others for criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
CBI raid on at B S Yeddyurappas house in Bangalores Dollars Colony on Wednesday
Bangalore /New Delhi: Even as former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa,amid CBI raids,said he would come clean in the investigations,his fear of arrest reflected yet another dramatic twist in the career of the powerful satrap who is widely acknowledged as the force which propelled the north-centric BJP to its first-ever electoral success across the Vindhyas. Tempted by the perks of power,and harassed by political opponents as well as implacable factional foes,the Lingayat overlord,known to be a street fighter,self-destructed in office.Wednesdays raids come just after Yeddyurappa raised the flag of rebellion against the BJP leadership,asking for a change of guard in Karnataka,and can seriously undercut his leverage with his colleagues.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had on Tuesday registered an FIR against Yeddyurappa and others for criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust under sections of IPC,Prevention of Corruption Act and for violation of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. The high court threw him a lifeline in March when it quashed the Lokayuktas recommendation for his prosecution for alleged corruption in grant of mining licences the demining indictment which forced him to quit in July last year.The window was shut,however,on May 11 when the Supreme Court,acting on the findings of its empowered panel on environment,asked the CBI to probe his collusion with JSW and South West Mining Company. The premises searched across the state by hundreds of CBI officials included Yeddyurappas family-owned Prerna Trust and Dhavalagiri Properties.The operations are likely to continue.The raids are inconclusive, an agency official said in Bangalore.
Bhushan Says As Ktaka CM He Helped Private Companies Make Huge Profit
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: A day after foreign minister S M Krishna threatened legal action against Team Anna,the activists stepped up their attack alleging that he was involved not just in granting mining leases of protected forest areas but also allotting iron ore fines at throwaway rates to private companies. The group reiterated their July 24 deadline saying the government should set up a special probe against the Cabinet ministers whom they had named.Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan told reporters that Krishna,who headed the Karnataka government between 1999 and 2004,responded to their allegations by terming the issue as sub-judice.He said though Congress spokespersons had termed the allegations as unsubstantiated,they stood by their allegations on corruption in mining deals in the state. In documents sent to PM Manmohan Singh and Krishna,Bhushan said the policy to keep private companies out of iron ore mining was reversed while Krishna was chief minister.Bhushan also alleged that successive decisions to allocate forest land to private parties were taken despite reservations expressed by forest officials and the minister concerned.In fact,Bhushan said the original Cabinet note and files were not given to the Karnataka Lokayukta which explains why Krishna has not been named in the report.Bhushan alleged that the former chief minister managed to get relief as the state government did not furnish a Cabinet note to the Lokayukta in which the chief minister had signed a note recommending de-reservation of 11,620 sq km forest land and permission for iron ore mining by private companies.We have found the allegations correct and the loss to the state exchequer has been found to be of the tune of thousands of crores of rupees, he said,adding that iron ore fines,that attracted a market price of Rs 2,200 per tonne,was sold to private companies at throwaway rates like Rs 35-Rs 250 per tonne. Bhushan said of the allocations that had come to light,a loss of Rs 1,000 crore to the state exchequer could be estimated. Krishna in his response termed the matter sub-judice since he had obtained a stay from the Supreme Court against the proceedings in the Lokayukta,he said.
Bhushan CD row: Fresh probe begins
The Delhi Police has begun investigations in the case of the controversial CD supposedly containing a conversation between senior lawyer and activist,Shanti Bhushan,Samajwadi Party chief,Mulayam Singh Yadav,and former SP leader Amar Singh after he had challenged the closure report filed by the Delhi police.On Tuesday,ateam of officers of Special Cell recorded Bhushans statement at his Noida residence.Speaking to TOI,Shanti Bhushan,said,I had filed a fresh application before the Chief Magistrate after the police filed their closure report in the case asking them to investigate facts like who were behind manufacturing this CD,who were the parties involved and who benefited from this fraud.The police had not conducted the investigations properly and had not even recorded Mulayam Singhs statement.They have begun a probe today. The team went to his Noida house around 5.30pm in the evening and was there till 9pm,a source said.Sources said this was in accordance with the recent court order to speed up proceedings.We want to finish investigations by the end of July.For this purpose,the special cell will be questioning all stakeholders including Amar Singh and a few ruling and opposition party members, said one of the top sources of Delhi police.TNN
KEEPS UP ATTACK: Prashant Bhushan (left)said the policy to keep private companies out of iron ore mining was reversed while S M Krishna was Karnataka chief minister Not part of campaign against PM: Hegde
Fresh cracks appeared in Team Anna with former Lokayukta Justice Santosh N Hegde dissociating himself from corruption charges against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 14 ministers.Hegde said he was not party to the decision to target the PM and his cabinet.Justice Hegde told TOI he had been informed about the May 26 news conference,where Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan levelled the allegations,but he could not make it to Delhi.Later,Bhushan sent me the contents.But I could not open the mail on my phone.After reading what he said in the newspapers,I disassociate myself from the charges, he said.Bhushan and Anna aide Arvind Kejriwal had accused the PM,finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and 13 other ministers of corruption.Team Anna wanted a Special Investigation Team with three retired judges to handle the probe.The activists warned if an investigation team was not set up by July 24,they would begin an indefinite fast from the next day.If what Bhushan is saying is true,he can ask for a probe.I want to read the documents and wont go by hearsay, he said.TNN
