BJP minister backs B Sriramulu Lok Ayukta report on illegal mining

For the first time, a BJP minister is lending support to the report submitted by Lok Ayukta Justice Santosh Hegde.

On Saturday, health minister
B Sriramulu said Hegde’s report must be accepted by the government.

Interestingly, Sriramulu’s name has also been mentioned in the Lok Ayukta report, which will be submitted on Monday.

“The report submitted by Justice Hegde should be accepted and considered 100%,” he said.

“There is no one greater than the law. The report, which will be submitted by Justice Hegde, will reveal details of all those involved in illegal mining. For a politician, allegations, respect, criticism, and praise are all a part of life. I will not run anywhere. I am ready to face anything,” said Sriramulu.

He also added that the central government is involved in
Justice Hegde’s phone
tapping episode. This has been done to put the state government in trouble. It should be investigated, he added.

“Hegde is a respectful and prompt. The report that he had prepared and was supposed to submit to the government was leaked. Those responsible must be punished,” Sriramulu said.

“The only state that had stopped the export of the iron ore is Karnataka. No person from the BJP or chief minister BS
Yeddyurappa is involved in
the illegal mining. There is no need for the chief minister or other ministers to resign,” he said.

“After Yeddyurappa became the chief minister, he did not grant lease to mining companies,” he added.

The names included in the illegal mining report are G Janardhana Reddy, Sriramulu, and Kampli MLA Suresh Babu, and other BJP leaders.