BENGALURU, Aug 27: The opposition BJP on Tuesday petitioned the Karnataka governor against the state government’s decision to clear the sale of 3,667 acre of land to JSW Steel in Ballari district, alleging that it was being given at a “very throwaway price”, and that “vested interests” are suspected to be behind the move.
Terming the move a “blunder”, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy, who met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, urged the government to withhold the execution of the sale deed.
He also said that in the interest of the state, the government should sell the land at current market value.
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The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday gave its approval for executing an absolute sale deed for the proposed sale of a total 3,667.31 acres of land to the company.
“In continuation with the series of blunders by the Karnataka Government, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has sold 3,667 acres of government Land to JSW Steel Ltd at a very throwaway price,” Narayanaswamy said in a letter submitted to the governor.
Claiming that the state cabinet has approved the execution of the absolute sale deed despite opposition from some cabinet ministers, he said, “the concerned minister further goes on to say that he has only implemented the orders of the high court which has ordered implementation of the erstwhile government’s orders.”
“It is surprising to note that the party which opposed the allotment of land in the previous instances is vouching for the allotment at throwaway prices, may be with vested interests,” he said.
The cabinet’s approval was for executing an absolute sale deed for 2,000.58 acre of land at Kurekuppa and Toranagallu villages in Sandur taluk, and 1,666.73 acres of land at Toranagallu, Musinayakanahalli and Yerabanahalli, in favour of JSW Steel.
Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil on Sunday asserted that there is no irregularity in the government’s decision to execute the sale deed of land to Jindal Steel.
Narayanaswamy said, “The iron ore rich land is being sold at a throwaway price (Rs, 1,22,200 to Rs, 1,50,635 an acre) to the capitalists, when farmers are ready to buy it at 10 times higher rate (the market rates are reportedly 50 times more than the rate fixed for sale to the Jindals now).”
This is clearly depriving many, including the poor from the Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and others, of their rights, he said.
“I urge the government through you to withhold the execution of the sale deed, for the greater good. In the interest of the state, either the government should sell it at the current market value which is about 50 fold more or allot land to the deserving Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and the other deprived class of population under any suitable scheme of the government….” he added.
The land deal with JSW had run into controversy in the past. In 2005, when Dharam Singh was the chief minister, the cabinet had decided to give on lease-cum-sale arrangement 2,000.58 acre to JSW. An order on this was issued by the JD(S)-BJP coalition government that came to power thereafter when Kumaraswamy was CM and B S Yediyurappa was industries minister.
In 2007, another 1,666 acre were allotted.
The Congress-JD(S) coalition government in 2019 had constituted a cabinet sub-committee to examine the sale proposal, as its decision to convert the lease of about 3,667 acres to JSW Steel in Ballari into sale, in accordance with the initial agreement, had created a row.
Accusing the Congress-JD(S) coalition government of selling the land to the company at a throwaway price (Rs 1.22 -1.50 lakh per acre), the BJP, then in opposition, had held a two-day round-the-clock sit-in. Its leaders had even accused the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition of receiving “kickbacks” for the sale of land.
The BJP that next came to power, with Yediyurappa as CM in November 2020, formed another cabinet sub-committee to look into the land deal. Subsequently, in April 2021, the cabinet agreed to sell the land to JSW Steel, but the decision was again put on hold following opposition. (PTI)
