A day after the Karnataka governor demanded action against illegal mining in the BJP-ruled state, the Congress today stepped up attack on the government dubbing its rule as 'Goondaraj'.
A day after the Karnataka governor demanded action against illegal mining in the BJP-ruled state, the Congress today stepped up attack on the government dubbing its rule as "Goondaraj" and demanded action against the controversial Reddy brothers without naming them.
"What we are seeing in Karanataka is Goondaraj...What will you expect when you make Dracula the head of Blood Bank," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters at the AICC briefing here.
Going hammer and tongs against the Yeddyurappa government, he said "there is no governance but only loot. The protectors have become predators."
"Karnataka is not being governed. There has been a complete failure of the constitutional machinery. Either the the chief minister is incompetent or completely collusive," Singhvi said.
In an apparent reference to Reddy brothers, he said the government should remove officials as well as ministers linked with the illegal mining.
He dared the government to constitute an independent commission of inquiry on illegal mining or get the matter probed by the CBI.
Singhvi, however, said the chief minister had vigorously opposed any CBI probe.
He alleged iron ore worth $350 million were taken out illegally from the state between November 2009 and February 2010.
Singhvi, however, refrained from making any demand for clamping President's rule in the state saying the party and
the Union government are "not going to make martyr" of the BJP
regime.
Referring to a recent incident of seizure of iron ore at a port in Karnataka, he wondered how the material reached there without being noticed by the concerned departments.
Singhvi alleged the Karnataka government suspended a forest conservator who seized the illegal iron ore from the port and punished him for his honesty.
"Welcome to the new-age definition of democracy by the new-age BJP --- non-governance for the money, of the money and by the money," he said.
The spokesman said there is "blatant conflict of interests" in governance in Karnataka and there are "people with vested interests" holding ministries in the state.
On BJP's attack on Karnataka governor HR Bhardwaj for his allegations pertaining to illegal mining in the state, Singhvi said it is a case of "trying to shoot the messenger and ignore the message".
He said the governor is fully entitled to talk to the prime minister, the home minister and the chief minister on such issues.
"If a governor cannot express his anguish to these constitutional heads, it will be unfortunate," Singhvi said.
He also attacked the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat over reports of the likelihood of the arrest of state home minister Amit Shah, a close aide of the chief minister, in connection with a case of fake encounter after Godhra riots.
He said Shah should have resigned on moral grounds after his name cropped up in the case.
"The agencies investigating the cases there had already found evidences against police officers. Now evidence is emerging against the state home minister, It is extremely serious.
"In the two BJP states in two different scenarios, you have a classic case of protectors turning predators," he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}