It is all that we already knew was true, but we were still waiting for it to become official. Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa has been severly indicted in the illegal mining scam by Karnataka Lokayukta.
Exploding the myth that BJP is a party with a difference, Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, in his second report has indicted Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, for indulging in corruption by allowing illegal mining in Bellary area and receiving benefits from the mining companies whom favours were shown.
The report blames the BJP government of Karnataka for perpetuating systemic corruption to loot public resources in the state. The volumnious report also highlights that BJP Chief Minister Yeddyurappa and his family have been beneficiaries of the largesse of mining companies. The report says an educational trust run by the Chief Minister's family allegedly received large sums of money in donations from mining companies.
The names of Janardhan Reddy, Revenue Minister K. Karunakara Reddy, Health Minister B. Sriramulu, Housing Minister V. Somanna and the Bellary brothers also figure in the report.
The report has also blasted Yeddyurappa for retaining the allegedly tainted mining barons from Bellary in his Cabinet.
It says that one of the perpetrators of fraud is the Obulapuram Mining Company. Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy is a partner in that company.
The full report is exhaustive and covers a number of other aspects. It puts on record that due to misdeeds of the BJP Chief Minister on this account the State exchequer suffered a loss of Rs. 1,827 crore over a period of 14 months between April 2009 and May 2010.
What is more significant is that although the first part of the Lokayuta was out in 2008 yet Gadkari's continued to support his Chief Minister Yeddyuruppa. He had said in an interview, "Yeddyurappa has been doing good work". That was not an excuse but an attempt to skirt the issue. Ethics and Integrity must be above all. BJP must show its corrupt Chief Minister the door.
Karnataka was the first state in south India to try BJP government. Now its consequences are known to everyone.
The BJP must dismiss its Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues for indulging in corruption and nepotism.
However, it seems doubtful if the BJP has the requisite guts to touch Yeddyruppa. The Chief Minister belongs to a powerful Lingyat community which brought the BJP to power in Karnataka.
BJP in desperate bid to gain power let the rot enter the state polity. In stead of working for the welfare of the people, the BJP government engaged itself to help the Bellary Brothers to lot the state valuable resources in return for monetary favors.
The Chief Minister does not seem to be worried about the severe indictment against him. He is holidaying in Mauritius without any intention to cut short his visit on this serious occasion.
The Congress Party which had so far been facing flaks from the BJP over 2G and CWG scams has demanded that BJP must remove its Chief Minister for his indictment over corruption charges.
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