BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the State Government will not allow the shifting of any public sector units (PSU) from Karnataka.
“I want our parliament members and central ministers to react to it. But, as a government, we will not allow anything to be shifted,” Shivakumar told media persons responding to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s proposal to relocate HAL units from Karnataka and offer to give 10,000 acres of land in AP.
“I am not going to interfere in Naidu’s political request to the Centre. We have also given sufficient land to HAL and we have also provided land to set up a helicopter unit in Tumakuru. If they want to expand, we will give them more land. They are free to set up anything new in Andhra Pradesh, we are not going to object to it. But our government will do whatever it takes to protect our state’s assets,” the DyCM said. Terming HAL as “Karnataka’s pride”, the DyCM said former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru set it up in Bengaluru. “There is no question of it [shifting],’’ he said.
Shivakumar said he expects the parliament members and Union ministers from the state to speak about it.
Industries Minister MB Patil had earlier stated that requesting the setting up of a unit in Andhra Pradesh as part of HAL’s expansion plans is understandable but asking to transfer the existing Bengaluru operations is not justifiable.
“To my understanding, Naidu may not have asked for shifting Bengaluru operations. He might have only requested the establishment of a new unit there. However, if he has indeed requested the relocation of operations from Bengaluru, that would not be appropriate,” Patil said.
A new chapter in Congress: Shivakumar said over 50 leaders are quitting the BJP and joining the Congress party. This is a new chapter for Congress in the state, he said.
“Many BJP and JDS leaders are coming forward to join the party as they think that the Congress government under the leadership of Siddaramaiah is doing a great job of governing the state. We have instructed all the MLAs and district presidents to induct leaders who would like to join our party. I would like to invite all the new leaders to our party. We will take the old and new leaders together,” he said.