Yeddyurappa has dared the former prime minister to a debate on the NICE project in the presence of Manmohan Singh.
Seeking to stop former prime minister HD Deve Gowda from exploiting Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) controversy for political gains, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday challenged him for a debate on land allocations for the project in the presence of prime minister Manmohan Singh.
“It was when Gowda was the Chief Minister that the memorandum of understanding on the BMIC project was signed. I will not tolerate Gowda’s attempts to malign me after he did everything with regard to the land allocation for the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), the company which is implementing the project. The BJP government has not shown any favour for NICE. Whatever has been done by my government was done as per the Supreme Court orders,” Yeddyurappa said.
He attributed Gowda’s diatribe against him to his (Gowda) fears that the continuance of the BJP government would destroy the future of the JD(S) in the state. “I will not tolerate if Gowda continues his diatribe,” he said.
He wondered, if Gowda was really interested to present the truth about the BMIC project, why wasn’t he raising the issue in the Lok Sabha. “If Gowda has political courage, let him come for a debate in the presence of the prime minister. Let the Congress leaders decide who is right and who is wrong,” Yeddyurappa challenged.
The chief minister added that Gowda had intensified his agitation against NICE with an eye on the BBMP polls, and that the people would see through his game and teach him a befitting lesson in the elections. There was no need for Gowda to shed crocodile tears in the name of farmers, he said.
Gowda had, in a hard hitting retaliation, accused Yeddyurappa and state Advocate General Ashok Harnahalli of betraying the farmers to facilitate NICE in getting 5,000 acres of excess lands. He shocked the media and political circles by abusing them as bas***ds.
Meanwhile, Deve Gowda also threatened to launch a sit-in protest in front of Yeddyurappa’s residence from Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Harnahalli termed Gowda’s outbursts as unfortunate. “Though people have every right to criticise, this was not the way. It has posed a serious danger to the democratic set up,” he said. “I am only doing my duty as asked by the government, while arguing before the Supreme Court on the BMIC project. My conscience is clear,” he added.
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