Dharwad: Samaj Parivartan Samudaya chief SR Hiremath has called upon people to teach the state Congress government a lesson in the upcoming elections, in view of its utter failure to implement fully the reports of Justice Santosh Hegde and holding the miners accountable in the worst iron ore scam in the country, which resulted in CBI closing the cases at preliminary inquiry stage for want of proper evidence.
Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Hiremath said firstly Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, minister H.K. Patil who headed the Cabinet Sub-Committee on illegal mining must be condemned, then the Congress government as a whole for failing to provide proper evidence to the CBI, which was entrusted to investigate the illegal mining case.
The CBI is now closing the cases relating to the export of illegal ore of nearly 3 crore metric tonnes (worth Rs. 12,228 crores) despite adequate documentation (shipping details gotten from Customs data bank) by Justice Santosh Hegde, the then Lokayukta’s Investigating Team headed by Dr. U.V. Singh, he said adding that the issues of recovery of thousands of crores of rupees for the illegal ore by the ‘B’ category mines and works of Reclamation & Rehabilitation have taken back seat.
Failure to hold accountable those involved in the worst iron ore scam is a deliberate betrayal of the trust imposed by the people of Karnataka on the part of CM Siddaramaiah and HK Patil said Hiremath and urged people to teach them a lesson in 2018 elections as they did to BJP in 2013.
The Congress government failed to keep its promise of initiating action against illegal miners during its Padayatra from Bengaluru to Ballary in 2010 and during last elections by re-appointing brazenly a partner of ‘C’ category mines Santosh Lad, the government has earned the dubious distinction of shielding the corrupt, he added.
Hiremath welcomed the Income Tax (IT) raids on Lakshman, a close associate of the chief minister and present Chairman of KSPCB and urged the government to suspend him.
He also said Jana Sangram Parishat (JSP) is holding a two-day Chintana Shibir on November 4,5 in Raichur and a special meeting of JSP in view of forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
