In the latest development on the controversial Jindal (JSW Steel Ltd) land deal in Ballari, BJP state President BS Yeddyurappa on Tuesday accused Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of “lying or being ignorant”.
BS Yeddyurappa on Tuesday tweeted, “Either the @CMofKarnataka is lying or ignorant or both. It a well-known fact that CBI Court cleared me & my family members of blatantly false, politically motivated charges that were heaped on us.”
“Failing to have answers to the daylight robbery of our farmer's lands, a panicked CM is trying to mislead the people with more lies and false accusations,” he added.
Either the @CMofKarnataka is lying or ignorant or both. It a well-known fact that CBI Court cleared me & my family members of blatantly false, politically motivated charges that were heaped on us. pic.twitter.com/uNsD6Mz0Bj
— B.S. Yeddyurappa (@BSYBJP) June 18, 2019
The statements from Yeddyurappa came in response to the CM accusing him of receiving kickbacks from Jindal in the tune of Rs 20 crore. The CM’s allegations came as it became apparent that Yeddyurappa wouldn't accept the CM’s offer to discuss the issue.
"Why did Jindal give him Rs 20 crore cheque? Whether it was Yeddyurappa or who did the lease-cum-sale for Jindal? Who signed it? So I invited them, let's not discuss on streets, come let's discuss. Still, my government is open (for discussion)," the CM told reporters on Monday.
Although Yeddyurappa was indicted by the Lokayukta, a special court had acquitted him and his family members of all charges.
Meanwhile, in addition to senior Congress MLA HK Patil, two more Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Anil Lad have objected to the government’s proposal to go ahead with the absolute sale deed of iron-rich land in Ballari to Jindal’s JSW Limited at a throwaway price.
Echoing the BJP line, Anand Singh in a press conference flanked by Anil Lad, said, “The government should stop giving lands to companies through lease cum sale deed. If such decisions were taken in the past, the government should annul it."
The controversy
In 2006, the state government had allotted 2,000 acres of land to Jindal on a lease-and-sale agreement for six years at a rate of Rs 90,000 per acre, in addition to another 1,700 acres for 10 years at Rs 1.22 lakh per acre. Accordingly, these two land parcels were to be sanctioned for sale based on conditions of employment generation.
In the cabinet meeting on May 27, the cabinet gave a nod to the sale deal, setting the price at Rs 1.22 lakh per acre for the first parcel of land and Rs 1.5 lakh per acre for the second parcel of land triggering protests from the BJP.
Even senior Congress MLA HK Patil publicly opposed the decision and met the Chief Minister on the issue. He also claimed that JSW Steel Ltd owed Rs 1,200 crore to Mysore Minerals Ltd as of May 27.
According to activists opposing the deal, the price of the land at the present rate is around Rs 1 crore per acre.
Since the government’s announcement of the same, the BJP had opposed it and even held a three-day protest on the issue. Under pressure, HD Kumaraswamy who was initially silent on the issue chose to refer the matter again to a cabinet sub-committee.