BELLARY: Where are the Reddys? By this time they should have been on rail lines demanding speedy execution of rail projects in the state, as was assured by them, some time ago. However, they remained indoors while the Lokayukta submitted report on illegal mining to the government on Wednesday.Since a week, the mining barons have not shown up in public, except a press conference attended by Health Minister B Sreeramulu, even the KDP review meet, which Tourism Minister G Janardhan Reddy was supposed to chair, was postponed on Wednesday.It is now an open secret that Janardhan Reddy had also gone to Mauritius and met the CM who was holidaying with his family members, after the leakage of the Lokayukta report last Wednesday.Janardhan Reddy is learnt to have sought the chief minister’s blessings as he was left high and dry by his confidante Sushma Swaraj and others. Neither the high command nor state leaders seem to be concerned about Reddy’s next move.Meanwhile, there are rumours that, if Reddys step down owing to pressure from the BJP high command, they may choose KMF Chairman G Somashekhar Reddy and Siruguppa MLA M S Somalingappa or some Lingayat leaders to represent the district in the Cabinet. With the disclosure of names of ministers G Janardhan Reddy, G Karunakara Reddy, B Sreeramulu, MP Anil Lad, MLAs Anand Singh, T H Suresh Babu and B Nagendra, Bellary has now earned the credit of having major share in illegal mining.According to Lokayukta, the report contains a separate chapter which deals specially with regard to administration in Bellary.The ministers, MP, MLAs of Bellary along with others could be prosecuted under MMRD, Forest, IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, the sources said.Though Reddys, on many occasions, claimed that their family is not into mining in the state, the Lokayukta report has now found them guilty of having benami mining leases in the district.Deserted lookJanardhan Reddy’s home office ‘Kuteera’ wore a deserted look. Except for security men, nobody was seen there.Reddy and Sreeramulu remained indoors, MP J Shantha was in Hubli and MLA G Somashekhara Reddy was seen at his corporation chamber in the evening. The security personnel were seen staring at all and sundry who were passing through Avembavi area, where Janardhan Reddy and Sreeramulu’s houses are located. PUBLIC MOOD IN MINING EPICENTREThe public, after seeing submission of Lokayuktha report in TVs started asking where are the Reddys, hitherto fearing to raise their voice against these powerful ministers. Nothing was clear, except the news leaked a week ago about CM and Reddy brothers, Sreeramulu and Somanna, said Kiran, a resident of Bellary. CM’s family receiving donation from mining companies was highlighted but nothing was shown about Reddys, he said.The Lokayukta should have divulged more details of the involvement of the Reddy brothers, with statistics, he observed. News of `16,085 crore’s loss to the state exchequer enraged advocate Ekambar who said culprits should be punished publicly. Tapal Ganesh of TNR Mines said, “Many of our complaints have been covered in Lokayukta report. Criminal cases should be booked against Reddys and the CM and the government should confiscate the illegally earned property by them.” “The guilty should be made to sleep on rail lines since these people used Railways to illegally transport iron ore,” said a college student Prashanth.Krishna of Shabari Hotel preferred to know more about the involvement of Bellary leaders in the case. “Now the ball is in Governor’s court, he has to decide,” said Gururaj of Brahman Sangharsha Samiti. People to whom TNIE spoke wished to learn more details about involvement of leaders partywise, rather than answering questions.
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