Kumaraswamy’s bombshell puts Yeddy into retreat?

Kumaraswamy's bombshell puts Yeddy into retreat?

Alleges that he has documents to show that the chief minister, industry minister and Posco worked out a deal for Rs 500 crore to acquire agricultural land; the CM halts drive giving rise to questions

Even as Gadag is on the boil over acquisition of agricultural land for Posco, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has dropped a bombshell by accusing Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa of accepting a bribe of Rs 500 crore from the South Korean steel major.

All the way: Kumaraswamy visited Gadag to express his solidarity
with the farmers, who are agitating against the acquisition of their
fertile agricultural land. File Pics

Kumaraswamy, who was in the district to express his solidarity to the agitating farmers, said the government was adamant over the acquisition because the CM was bound help Posco as the company had paid him kickback.

"I have documents to show how the Yeddyurappa and the Industry Minister struck a deal with Posco and pocketed the money. The government could de-notify the land earmarked for an SEZ in Mangalore within minutes after Pejawara intervened so why is the same not applicable for Gadag? It is because the CM is committed to the company," Kumaraswamy said.

Blink of an eye
The industry ministry had dropped the plan of acquiring 1997 acres of land, which was notified for the SEZ in Mangalore, within 30 minutes after Pejawara seer threatened to launch a fast-unto-death protesting against acquiring the farmland.

While the seer is indicating he would join the Gadag farmers in their protest, Kumaraswamy's accusation came as a fresh blow for Yeddyurappa. As if recognising the gravity of the situation, Yeddyurappa did not waste time yesterday and instructed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district to stop the process of the land acquisition immediately.

Quick action
A press release from the CM's office said that the government would not go against the interest of the farmers and the project would continue only if they are willing to cooperate. "At no point will the farmers land be acquired forcibly," said the release.

Posco had entered an MOU with the state government in the global investor's meet held last year to establish a steel plant with capacity of 6 million tones a year in Gadag, and 3382 acres of land was earmarked for the project.

While the land is fertile, the farmers are looking forward for the Singatalur Lift Irrigation project, because of which the agriculture yield is expected to be increase and they are resisting the acquisition.

Activist Medha Patkar was with the protestors last week and Rahul Gandhi is expected to join them towards the end of the month. "It looks like the CM identified the volatility of the situation that is snowballing by the day and took a step to stop the land acquisition. It is a sensible step at the moment," said a BJP leader.u00a0