Congress legislators back Siddu on mining leases

A group of Congress legislators on Wednesday defended Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s  recommendation for the renewal of mining leases to eight companies, saying that there was nothing illegal about the decision.

Addressing reporters, MLC V S Ugrappa said the chief minister had only recommended to the Centre for the renewal of the licences as per the Mines and Mineral Regulation and Development (MMRD) Act. The Centre will renew the licences only if the companies have complied with all the rules, he said. If not, it can reject the State’s recommendation, he added.

BJP leader K S Eshwarappa had charged the chief minister with taking a kickback for making the recommendations. 

He had said that Siddaramaiah had made the recommendations few days before the promulgation of an ordinance by the Centre, making the auction of minerals compulsory.

Ugrappa defended the charges by saying many other state governments, including Goa, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, had recommended the renewal of licences to mining companies in their respective states as well. 

On protests by dalit organisations demanding for a dalit chief minister, the Congress MLC said that those who are staging the protests do not belong to the Congress party. 

Hence, there is no need to attach any importance to it, he said. The party high command will take an appropriate decision in this regard, he added.