Lokayukta issue rocks Assembly; Opposition seeks Yeddyurappa's resignation

A united Opposition in Karnataka today stepped up the heat on the BJP government on the issue of Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde's resignation and demanded immediate resignation of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa over a Rs 2,500-crore alleged mining scam.

Taking off from where they left yesterday, Congress and JDS continued their dharna in the well of the House, not budging from their stand that Speaker KG Bopaiah allow the debate on Hegde's resignation under an adjournment motion.

A media report said the state government had prepared a draft objection to be filed in the high court in a mining related case within a day or two, admitting that from November 2009 to March, more than 35 lakh tonnes of iron ore were illegally stored and exported from Karwar and Belikere ports, provided fresh ammunition to the Opposition.

"It's an unprecedented scam in Karnataka. Iron ore worth more than Rs 2,500 crore has been illegally exported without valid permit," Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah (Congress) told reporters after the Speaker adjourned the House to meet tomorrow following pandemonium which saw ruling and opposition
members shouting slogans at each other.

Since yesterday, the Opposition has been insisting that the issue be discussed under Rule 60, which allows voting and where only members who signed for the motion can speak, but the Speaker had rejected it and gave a ruling converting it to be discussed under Rule 69, which does not allow moving adjournment motion as well as voting.

The Opposition members repeatedly pleaded with the Chair to reconsider the decision, but the latter said the matter could be discussed at length under Rule 69.

The stand-off led to angry exchange of words between the ruling and opposition members, leading to din. Bopaiah adjourned the House for the day after his repeated appeal to end the dharna fell on deaf ears of the aggressive opposition.

Speaking in the Assembly and later talking to reporters, Siddaramiah demanded immediate Yeddyurappa's resignation, terming the state's admission regarding illegal export of more than 35 lakh tonnes of iron ore, as the "biggest scam Karnataka has ever witnessed".

He pointed out that Yeddyurappa holds the portfolios of forest, mines and geology as well as finance and the latter had claimed that there was no illegal mining in the state.

Earlier in the House, admitting that the state was in the process of filing the affidavit in the court, Yeddyurappa said large-scale illegal mining had been taking place in Karnataka for the last ten years.

In 2007-08 alone, more than 47 lakh tonnes of iron ore were exported from the state without licence, he said.

"There should be a comprehensive enquiry. Those who indulge in illegal mining should be punished. We will not side with anybody," he said.

Referring to the continued dharna of the Opposition, Yeddyurappa said their conduct gave rise to suspicion that their intention was not to discuss the Lokayukta's issue but to create confusion in the minds of the people.

Yeddyurappa also said that when the then Ramakrishna Hegde government came out with an amendment withdrawing suo moto powers to Lokayukta, justice Hegde was Advocate General of the state.