None involved in illegal activities would be protected: HDK

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday said his government would not protect anyone involved in illegal activities, as he flayed the BJP for accusing him of “adjustment” by not acting on a legislature panel report on alleged irregularities in the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor project.

“I have seen that a BJP MLA while demanding action based on House Committee on NICE, has accused me of adjustment (in the case). They (BJP) are the ones who taught me adjustment politics,” Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

Kumaraswamy said during the tenure of the BJP-JD(S) coalition government in 2006 headed by him, when he brought a subject before the cabinet to scrap the project, BJP ministers had boycotted it. “Where was their commitment then?” he asked.

State BJP general secretary and MLA C T Ravi Thursday had demanded that the coalition government implement the House committee report on alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project (BMIC) by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises(NICE).

He had reportedly accused Kumaraswamy and his government of “adjustment” in the case.

Kumaraswamy said, his government will not protect anyone involved in illegal activity related cases.

“It has just been five-and-half months after this coalition government coming to power, give us some time.

How we will work, how our programmes are…by implementing our programmes we will answer them. I need not do politics by adjustment,” he said.

Asked if the government will act on the House committee report, the chief minister said, the report is yet to be accepted by the Assembly.

“There is time, we will take decision accordingly.” 

In its report tabled in the Assembly in December 2016, the 11-member committee, headed by the then Law ministerJayachandra to look into the alleged violations, concluded that 16 of 22 articles in the framework agreement had been violated by the private partner NICE.

It had also recommended an inquiry by CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED), the vigilance commission or an investigative agency of equal standing.

NICE is the implementing agency of the BMIC project, which includes developing the 111-km four-lane expressway, five townships and supporting infrastructure.

Former MLA and businessman Ashok Kheny is the Managing Director of Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Limited. He joined the Congress ahead of assembly polls in May.

While in opposition, Kumaraswamy and his party were staunch critics of the BMIC project and had demanded action based on the House panel report.