Illegal mining: Throw Patil's letter to dustbin, says HDK

New Delhi: Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H D Kumaraswamy, launched a fierce attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Law Minister H K Patil over alleged illegal mining permissions. He stated that the letter written by  Patil in this regard should be “thrown into the dustbin.”

Speaking at a press conference at his official residence in New Delhi, the Union Minister said, “During his previous tenure, Siddaramaiah illegally granted permission to seven mining companies. What do you have to say about that, Mr. H K Patil?” he questioned sharply.

Kumaraswamy alleged that Patil’s letter was released as a distraction, “to divert attention from the embarrassment caused by the ongoing commission scams in the Housing Department.”

“Suddenly, H K Patil has woken up to the illegal mining issue in Karnataka. He claims it’s a Rs 1.5 lakh crore scam. You’ve been the Law Minister for two years, were you in a Kumbhakarna-like slumber?” Kumaraswamy said.

He said Patil was writing letter after 10 years. “Stop the drama. Even when
Siddaramaiah had the sub-committee report under his leadership, he did nothing. What’s the point of writing letters now? Throw them in the dustbin,” the Union Minister said.

Alleging that “illegal approval” was granted to seven mining companies during Siddaramaiah’s tenure as chief minister, Kumaraswamy sought to know what moral authority Patil had to sit beside Siddaramaiah and speak about illegal mining.