BALLARI: The controversial Jindal Steel Works (JSW) land deal seems to have reached a point of no return. Industries Department is against scrapping the deal despite Chief Minister directing it to reconsider and place it before the cabinet again, while the BJP is intensifying its agitation against the deal.
“As far as Industries Department is concerned, we are not for withdrawing it. I will make my position clear before the cabinet. Let the cabinet take the decision,” Industries Minister KJ George told Express on Thursday.
“As the industries minister, my duty is to promote industries and I will explain all the details before the cabinet,” he said. After the government’s decision to sell 3,667 acres to JSW in Ballari came under fire from all quarters, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy directed Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Industries Minister George to place it before the cabinet again, earlier this week.
While the BJP is planning to intensify its agitation, the deal was also opposed by senior Congress leader and former minister H K Patil. Defending his position to argue for the deal, George said,
“In 1995, 3,000 acres were given on leasecum- sale basis and the sale deed was done after lease period ended. When D V Sadananda Gowda was the CM, another 600 acres were given on lease-cum-sale basis and the sale deed was done. A similar agreement was signed when BS Yeddyurappa was in power.
In all the cases, sale deeds were for the same price mentioned during the lease. However, after the Law Department gave its opinion that the government can fix the rate, we increased it from Rs 92,000 per acre, when the leasecum- sale deed was signed, to Rs 1.22 lakh.
Again, it was increased to Rs 1.5 lakh.” George said since different departments - Industries and Mines and Geology - are involved, the CM had directed them to relook into it to clear all apprehensions. “We will bring all the facts before the cabinet. The cabinet has got all the powers to take any decision,” he added. The land in question is in possession of the company and they have already built the infrastructure, George said.
BJP protests against JSW land deal
Bengaluru: The BJP launched a protest on Thursday, accusing the coalition government of corruption in the sale of 3,667 acres of land to JSW. The BJP accused the government of selling land worth about Rs 7,000 crore for a mere Rs 48 crore. They launched a blistering attack in spite of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s decision to ‘reconsider’ the proposal to sell the land.
Sources said this is one way the coalition can give the issue a quiet burial without embarrassing themselves any further. When protestors started raising slogans outside Vidhana Soudha, they were arrested by police and later released. On Friday, the BJP will protest at Maurya Circle and will likely be joined by B S Yeddyurappa.