‘Why is Siddaramaiah silent on JSW row?’

Bengaluru: State JD(S) President, Mr A.H. Vishwanath kept the tirade going against fellow Kuruba leader and former CM Mr Siddaramaiah questioning his  silence on the JSW land deal row. He also came down heavily on the coalition government for not allotting portfolios to newly inducted ministers.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Mr Vishwanath said Mr Siddaramaiah, who took out a 350 km padayatra from Bengaluru to Ballari about a decade ago against illegal mining, was silent on the handing over of land to JSW.

“During the padayatra, Siddaramaiah had said that he would put the Reddy brothers in jail and bring back the money they looted by digging up the earth. When he became CM, how much of that looted money came back to the state exchequer? There were volumes of reports by Justice Santhosh Hegde (former Lokayukta) and no action was taken.

Now, he is silent on the row involving the Jindals. How can he remain silent?'' Mr Vishwanath questioned.

“He (Siddaramaiah) is part of the government and being chairman of the Coordination Committee, he is the minister for ministers. He cannot claim that he is not part of the government and should try to answer some of the unanswered questions. Mr H K Patil has given complete details on the (JSW land deal) issue and Mr Siddaramaiah must answer now,” Mr Vishwanath said.

The JD(S) president also expressed his displeasure over the government not allotting portfolios to the newly sworn in ministers and quipped that it was like humiliating the Dalits and backward classes. It has been so many days since they were sworn in and they should be given portfolios, he stressed.

Besides, there are many departments, which need urgent personal monitoring. After BSP MLA Mr N. Mahesh resigned from the cabinet, the primary and secondary education department needs someone to oversee it and so does the education department.  School admissions have started and the donation menace has to be controlled while books and shoes have to be distributed in government schools, Mr Vishwanath said.

He  urged his party to induct MLC Mr B.M. Farook into the coalition ministry under the minority quota. “Ours is a secular party and we have to give equal representation to all communities,” he said.

Meanwhile, JD(S) General Secretary Y.S.V. Datta said that both JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda's grandsons Prajwal Revanna and  Nikhil Kumaraswamy should maintain a low profile for some time. Speaking to reporters, Mr Datta said that both Prajwal and Nikhil had matured as leaders and instead of occupying JD(S) youth wing posts, it would be better for them to pave way for others.