Cong initiated fight against illegal export of seized iron ore, says Karnataka Minister H K Patil
Bengaluru (PTI): Seeking to defend the ruling Congress following a Court sentencing a party MLA in a case relating to theft and export of seized iron ore, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil on Monday said it was his party that initiated the fight in the case against the "loot" and those involved.
He also hit back at the opposition BJP alleging that the theft of "lakhs of crores of rupees" worth state's mineral resources had happened during its tenure.
"During the BJP government, the country's biggest loot of lakhs of crore public and government assets had happened, regarding it, the Court a couple of days ago gave life sentences to few people, and a Rs 44 crore fine was imposed. The loot had happened during the BJP government to cover up that the party leaders are coming forward and making statements (targeting ruling Congress)," Patil said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said it cannot be said that there was no role of the then BJP government in the theft of lakhs of crore worth state's mineral resources that were seized and kept, because it was exported.
"Six lakh tonnes mineral resources were exported....the then Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde had unearthed the scam and had submitted the report, time has come to ensure there is a logical end to his report," he said.
The Minister also pointed out the Congress' padayatra (foot march) from Bengaluru to Ballari under Siddaramaiah's leadership in raising the issue at the time and showing "political will" in fighting against the "large scale loot."
A court here on Saturday sentenced Congress MLA Satish Sail and six others to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in each of the six cases related to the theft and export of seized iron ore, during 2009-2010, from the Belekeri port in Uttara Kannada district
The court had also slapped a cumulative fine of Rs 44. 11 crore on all the seven accused.
Reacting to BJP's allegations that the "iron ore thieves" were in the Congress, Patil said "wherever the thieves are nabbing them, punishing them is the duty of the courts and the constitution."
Noting that Siddaramaiah -- who became Chief Minister for the first time in 2013 after Congress came to power -- had formed a cabinet sub-committee, following the then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde's report, he said, "the sub-committee has made several recommendations regarding what has to be done regarding irregularities worth lakhs of crore . The court order is in a way giving a logical response to those fighting to save the state's resources."
Asked as to whether the government is not embarrassed by the court verdict in the case in which one of the ruling party's MLAs was found guilty, Patil said: "this is the fight we initiated, to stop the loot and to punish looters."
On whether Sail will be disqualified, he said: "will speak about it later."
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Karnataka govt gives nod to give internal reservation among SCs
Bengaluru, Oct 28: The Karnataka cabinet on Monday gave its consent for providing internal reservation among Scheduled Castes (SC) and decided to constitute a commission that will be tasked with collecting empirical data.
The commission will be constituted under a retired High Court judge, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
"Regarding providing internal reservation among SC there were demands, discussions and thinking, in Karnataka. In the wake of the Supreme Court's recent verdict regarding internal reservation among SCs, the cabinet today gave its approval to provide internal reservation among SCs," Patil said.
"....after obtaining the data, it has been decided to decide on the next course of action. The government will ask the committee to submit the report in three months," he said.
Patil said the cabinet also decided to postpone all upcoming recruitments for at least three months until the commission submits its report.
ALSO READ: Cong initiated fight against illegal export of seized iron ore, says Karnataka Minister H K Patil
"From today if any recruitment is to be notified, that process will not take place, it will only start after the commission submits its report," he said.
Just ahead of the assembly polls, the previous BJP government's cabinet had taken a decision on internal reservation, by recommending to the central government a six per cent internal quota for SC (Left), 5.5 per cent for SC (Right), 4.5 per cent for "touchables" (Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha, Kuruma etc) and one per cent for others.
In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court on August 1 held that states are constitutionally empowered to make sub-classifications within the Scheduled Castes, which form a socially heterogeneous class, for granting reservation for the uplift of castes that are socially and educationally more backward.
A seven-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, by a majority of 6:1, set aside the apex court's five-judge bench verdict of 2004 in the EV Chinnaiah vs State of Andhra Pradesh case which had held that no sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) can be allowed as they are a homogeneous class in themselves.
