Make Nice meeting proceedings public, demands Deve Gowda

Janata Dal (S) president and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday demanded that the state government should make public the proceedings of a meeting it held with Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (Nice) on May 14 this year.

Nice is executing the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project.Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Gowda said the Supreme Court had directed the state government and Nice to resolve any dispute on the extent of land to be handed for the BMIC project by holding meetings.

The apex court had passed the order following a contempt of court petition filed by Nice. Gowda said the meeting between officials of the state government and representatives of Nice was held at the office of the Advocate General on May 14.

However, the proceedings of the meeting had been kept a secret on the request of Nice. The office of the chief secretary was denying a copy of the proceedings to the public even under RTI Act.

He charged that the government was under pressure to keep the proceedings a secret and there was total lack of transparency.

‘Logical end’

Gowda said the time had come for him stay away from the agitation of farmers against the implementation of the BMIC project. The agitation was moving towards its logical end, he said. Gowda said he was confident that the government would render justice to farmers.