New Delhi:
Demanding the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, the Congress today denied BJP's claim that Foreign Minister SM Krishna is mentioned in Justice Santosh Hegde's report on illegal mining in the state. The party claimed, on the contrary, the report exposes the loot and daylight robbery by the BJP.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi this afternoon, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Karnataka Lokayukta report has exposed daylight robbery, loot in the state." He also said "Constitutional functionaries have lost rights to be in office."
The Hegde report allegedly claims that the Karantaka's Chief Minister and his family has inappropriate links with mining firms. For one, a trust run by Mr Yeddyurappa's family in Shimoga received a Rs 10 crore donation from a mining firm. Also, the Chief Minister's son and son-in-law have sold land near the Bangalore airport to another mining company at 20 times the market price. Mr Hegde says these transactions seem to be some sort of "collateral."
The details will be known once Mr Hegde formally hands over his report to the government - which was leaked earlier this week. Mr Hegde said "outside people" are to blame and that he is confident his phones had been tapped by people "with vested interests."
What makes it worse for Yeddyurappa is that Karnataka Governor, HR Bhardwaj, has said he will act upon the report that indicts the chief minister. Mr Bhardwaj said he is waiting for the report to be delivered to him. He has, on multiple occasions, suggested that it's wrong for Mr Yeddyurappa to continue in office. The BJP however accuses Mr Bhardwaj, of acting as an agent of the Congress.
Relations between Mr Bharadwaj and Mr Yeddyurappa have been rocky for some time now. In October 2010, Mr Bhardwaj refused to accept a trust vote won by Mr Yeddyurappa on the grounds that it was a voice-vote. The Chief Minister was forced to then confront two no-confidence votes in four days - a first in India's political history.
The BJP, in the line of fire for allegations of corruption against its Chief Minister in Karnataka, had urged the Congress to take action against Mrs Dikshit instead of focusing on the political crisis in Karnataka. The BJP responded that the Congress is guilty of double-standards, because it has ignored the Delhi Lokayukta's report on Mrs Dikshit.