Caught in a row over the controversial JSW Steel land sale, the Karnataka cabinet on Friday decided to refer its decision on the sale of 3,667 acres to the firm at Ballari to a cabinet subcommittee for reconsideration.
“As there were a lot of objections and opposition to the decision to sell the land, the minister concerned (Industries Minister K.J. George) requested the chief minister to constitute a cabinet subcommittee to look into all aspects and reconsider it,” Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
"On the request of the industries minister, the cabinet today has given its approval to constitute a subcommittee, which will review it at the earliest and report back to the cabinet," Gowda said.
The composition of the cabinet subcommittee has been left to the discretion of the chief minister, he said, adding that "though the maximum view of the cabinet was that its decision is right, but in the wake of objection and opposition, we are giving it for reconsideration."
The Karnataka cabinet had recently decided to convert the lease of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel at Ballari into sale, in accordance with the initial agreement. The issue came up in the cabinet for discussion on Friday as Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, after consulting with Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and George, had asked for the subject to be placed before the cabinet once again for reconsideration.
Accusing the government of selling the land to JSW Steel at a throwaway price, the BJP commenced a two-day round-the-clock sit-in at the Gandhi Statue on Race Course Road in Bengaluru on Friday. State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa and other leaders are participating in the protest.
Yeddyurappa on June 9 had even accused the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition of getting "kickbacks", for the sale of land.
also read
- Nikhil Kumaraswamy to lead 58-day statewide JDS rally in Karnataka
- Is the BJP-JDS alliance under strain in Karnataka? Kumaraswamy fears ally hurting party’s growth
- HD Kumaraswamy's Bidadi farm surveyed over land grabbing charges
- Racist slur row: Karnataka Congress Min Zameer Khan apologises for calling Kumaraswamy ‘Kaaliya’
- Called Kumaraswamy ‘Kaliya’ out of love: Karnataka Minister Zameer Khan defends racist remark; BJP, JD(S) demands his removal
Causing embarrassment to the coalition, senior Congress leader H.K. Patil has been opposing the sale to JSW Steel, by writing a series of letters to the government.
Amid the row, JSW Steel chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal had said the firm never did anything "illegal" or wanted to"disadvantage" the people of Karnataka.