Janata Dal - Secular chief H D Deve Gowda on Thursday sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention into the alleged illegal mining situation in Karnataka, especially Bellary district, where he alleged that the 'mining mafia was ruling the roost'.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Gowda allleged that there was 'no semblance of rule of law especially in Bellary district' and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of being 'not only a mute spectator but fully complicit and partner in the crime' (of illegal mining).
Gowda requested Dr Singh to ask the state governor to submit a report on the situation and "to invoke appropriate constitutional mechanism to ensure that the rule of law prevails in the state".
Gowda targeted Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy and his brother and Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy, who are under the scanner of the Supreme Court for alleged illegal mining in Bellary district and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Gowda's letter, copies of which were released at a press conference, came days after the owner of a private mine, on whose petition the apex court stayed operations by the Reddy brothers owned Obulapuram Mining Company, and his two brothers were attacked by an unidentified gang.
In a similar letter addressed to Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj, the JD-S leader urged him to "act upon the prevailing situation and exercise his Constitutional responsibility".
"It is my duty as a former prime minister and chief minister to bring such daylight looting of natural resources by the mining mafia, which is calling the shots in the state, to their notice. It is for them to take action," he said.
