With probe on, BJP seeks end to illegal mining debate

"There should be an end to this discussion", BJP spokesman V Dhananjaya Kumar told a press conference convened by Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy.

The press conference was convened by Reddy to rebut allegations levelled against him by JDS leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on the mining scam.
Kumar said the BJP would henceforth not respond to allegations made by rival political parties on the issue.

The opposition parties wanted to make news every day and trying to create confusion in the minds of the people, he alleged.

"We will not talk about it anymore. We will not give any reaction. We are not interested in wordy duel with the opposition," the BJP spokesman said.

He appealed to Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R V Deshpande to hand over all the documents available with them to Lokayukta.
The Lokayukta is free to take the assistance of any agency, including the CBI, if required, in its probe in the alleged scam, he said.

Kumar categorically said BJP would never agree for a CBI probe, saying the central investigating agency would only besmirch his party and protect Congress whose aim was to topple the BJP government in the state.

Denied the allegation made yesterday by Kumaraswamy, Reddy termed it as "baseless" and "totally false".

The minister said he would hand over all the documents regarding mining activities and CDs to support his corruption allegations against Kumaraswamy, to the Lokayukta today.
Kumaraswamy had alleged that a mining company owned by Janardhana Reddy had illegally mined iron ore in Bellari district under the name of Black Gold (Iron Ore) Mining and Minerals.

Reddy said he would henceforth not respond to any of the allegations, as he has lots of work to do pertaining to the Tourism and Infrastructure Development Departments.