After weeping and prevaricating for a fortnight, Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa has issued a “101 per cent” clean chit to the Reddy brothers in the mining issue from a lofty perch of New Delhi, saying there was no evidence against them. G. Janardhana Reddy, in turn, has issued himself a “pure as 24-carat gold” certificate to him, saying all the illegal stuff was being done by his Congress brethren.
This turn of events should surprise nobody, but everybody who has followed news reports over the last three years, Lok Ayukta N. Santosh Hegde‘s resignation, the Opposition’s dharna in the Vidhana Soudha demanding a CBI probe, and the “former future prime minister” L.K. Advani‘s clarion call to the party to save the government if the Reddys have to go, should be scratching their heads as to what the heck the hungama was all about.
So, what is the one question you are dying to ask Yediyurappa and the Reddys? Like, is it true you have registered a domain name called dabbudabbudabbu.reddybrothers.com?
Also read: 6+1 questions after the return of Justice Santosh Hegde
‘In Ram Rajya, hamaam mein sab nange hain‘
Getaway of the Louts in the Gateway to the South
CHURUMURI POLL: Dismiss BJP govt in Karnataka?
GOOD NEWS: Karnataka beats AP, TN, Kerala
How China changed the politics of Karnataka
How the BJP completely lost the plot in Karnataka
Tags: B.S.Yeddyurappa, B.S.Yediyurappa, Churumuri, Reddy Brothers, Sans Serif, Sushma Swaraj
19 July 2010 at 4:21 pm
So how much of the loot was expended in delhi for this round, reddys???
I am sure this PIC is going to be used for long looong time or untill sushma shave her head and take sanyas.
19 July 2010 at 5:40 pm
hehe… its really funny someone robs and someone else is put to guilty… don’t know how much share Delhi is gonna get out of this loot but BJP sure is gonna celebrate it. And now we know ADI_shankra_chhadis are good at what??? I’m sick of this hindu land… cow and animal worshipers….. half of india is cowbelt… and being said this, Christians and others are not even better. Funny you, really :)
it will be better for you to embrace buddhism, sooner the better. and when you do so, consider to make one unified Buddhist Party of India. LOLZ :)
19 July 2010 at 7:57 pm
Is it true that the fleet of lorries used to transport the ore to the west coast is owned by Kumaraswamy’s wife?
19 July 2010 at 8:00 pm
Yediyurappa will go down in history as a chief minister who was controlled by mining barons and who made all major decisions at their behest just like Manmohan is controlled by the Royal family of India. I don’t have a question to ask these useless guys, but what is clear from the situation is, you cannot use “illegal” and “unethical” money to win an election and then hope to change things. I am completely convinced that, only such a government, which would come to power not because of money, muscle or liquor will be able to take on mafias. Time and again I am convinced that only Lok satta party can be the change we want. Since they do not fight elections with dirty money, they will be able to be tough on dirty money if they come to power.
19 July 2010 at 9:47 pm
To the Reddys: How do you sleep at night?
To Yeddi: Are you ever awake?
19 July 2010 at 11:28 pm
Yedy, how much of ‘pure gold’ will you hope to have in your govt?
Reddy, Why didn’t you say you are “pure iron” instead of ‘pure gold’? That’d have been closer to truth.
20 July 2010 at 8:23 am
Was the 24-carat gold also mined from one of your illegal mines?
20 July 2010 at 9:36 am
The Bellary Clan are perhaps the most crooked and powerful dons (read black money power) in Karnataka’s history. Their canny yet brute behavior is so overwhelming that even the center with all its resources (CBI, Supreme Court, Governor, President, Chief Election Commissioner, Ministry of Mines, IT dept…etc) has been unable to check-mate for almost a decade now!
For a glimpse of the high handedness and ability to silence all opponents, watch their shocking behavior in the Karnataka Assembly….
The state BJP is now obviously a free-for-all with every minister and his gang of flunkies (including all the bureaucrats) making merry and out-beating each other in massive corruption…after all they know that they will never ever be back in power.
While it is well known and a widely accepted fact that the brothers paid independent candidates an staggering Rs 30 crore each in cash, in return for their support to the BJP government apart from obscene actions like offering of a diamond-studded crown worth Rs 52 crores to Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati, what is not well known is the massive money laundering (almost a few billions) that these dons are rumoured to have carried out over the decades, through Dubai, Delhi, London, Blr, HK and Zurich.
Besides Bellary district, the Reddy clan have complete and undisputed control of the underworld economy in the neighboring districts of Davangere, Gadag, Haveri as well as the villages across the border! The business is as clean as gold with all ‘declared income tax’ paid and up to date!
Sons of a police constable, stories abound of the time when the poor brothers criss-crossed dusty Bellary roads on a two-wheelers (today they have a fleet of choppers) as they attempted to establish a non-banking financial institution that wound up in 1998, with complaints of fraud and cheating to the tune of Rs 200 crore. Meanwhile, from City Municipal Council elections to zilla panchayat, taluk, town level elections and finally the state elections and cabinet level positions, their clout is unstoppable.
Incidentally it must be pointed out that despite the publicity-oriented protests by the Cong-I led opposition in the state, several well known Congress-I leaders as well as the Gowda family are also engaged in encroaching on notified Govt property and carrying out massive illegal mining. The Lok Ayukta itself says that out of the 90-plus ‘official companies’ in Karnataka carrying out mining, almost 75% are into illegal exports!
The political influence that folks like Madhu Koda in Jharkhand, the Reddy’s or for that matter the feuding Petroleum brothers wield today is a consequence of the opening of the export and natural resources licenses in the mining, petroleum, gas sectors and it is to be squarely blamed on the corruption-influenced decisions taken at the center!
The link between the stench in shocking levels of corruption, politics, executive and judiciary in all the mining-rich states is thanks to the liberalization policies that helped all these politicians and dons to venture into looting precious natural resources and become overnight billionaire magnates!
No wonder, despite the biggest illegal mining case in India, the central govt is reluctant and refusing to ban the mining or processing of natural resources by private companies or individuals!
Perhaps the headline out to be changed to “One question I’m dying to ask the central Govt”
20 July 2010 at 12:10 pm
A picture speaks for a 1000 words.
20 July 2010 at 4:26 pm
i absolutely do not agree to ban on export. Its the easy way out. Do you think india was much better when evrything was nationalised?and do you think reddy even cares if there is a ban on export?if he wants to send resources outside the country , he will do it ban or no ban. ban will ensure that we stop getting the stories we currently get. does banning alchohol stop alchohol consumption?it encourgaes illegal alchohol trade.does banning red light areas stop flesh trade? what stops illegal activities is a good enforcement mechanism where the state is powerful enough to act against those who dont walk in line. i as a citizen partly blame myself for whats happening around us. we always had unstable govts where petty people like reddys, mulayams,lalus,pawars,karuna, turned kingmakers. give any party a free hand for 5-10 yrs and then judge their performance. or kick them out. a proper policy for optimum utilisation of natural resources has to be worked out which balances all stakeholders. see countries like australia, brazil, they are all succesfully using resources to their advantage. what all will you ban?ores, oil, sugar,rice,wheat,coal, water and one day air too? i have a feeling even if lokayukta convicts/exposes one minister, it will make them think atleast once that corruption is becoming a tough business. see ipl, satyam, raja etc etc. in some cases political permutations will allow govt to go whole hog and in some expose will be done but the final axe will have to be wielded by we the people as india is still run by a coalition govt and govts can only do that much . yeddi can expose reddy and then leave his fate on the people if he has no way out, congress can expose pawar and raja but cant take on both together. think with the real world in mind. its not as easy i feel . we easily pass comments but ask atalji or soniaji or manmohanji what kind of people they have had to work with. jayalalithas , lalus etc etc. they all had to keep their eyes closed till we gave them the breathing space.demand reform in judiciary, police, reduce multiple agencies, nring in transparency and see, reddys and their ilk will be an extinct species!
20 July 2010 at 5:16 pm
Reddys: Whats your net worth? Can you afford at least some Churmuri(media)? Will you pay Qs legal fees to Qs attorney? Can you do a LBO of AP-Congress? Have you planned a hostile take over of JD(S)?
Please do not answer these leading questions. As Shrek said to donkey, you have the right to remain silent, what you lack is the capacity.
Pipedown, resign, appoint your chelas as ministers in the cabinet and build your empire.
20 July 2010 at 6:03 pm
To The Reddy’s:
Will you promise that you would run in cheddy if yeddy eventually dismisses all of you Reddy’s?
To Yeddy:
What if the cheddy boys force you to oust the Reddys – will you cry Yeddy?
20 July 2010 at 6:18 pm
I don’t know how Sushma Swaraj can aspire for the PM’s post and get seen with the Reedy brothers at the same time.
If she thinks that the Reddy brothers’ money power will help her in that, onyl God can help her.
20 July 2010 at 7:51 pm
What is “legal”? It means government gets what is due to it (taxes, cesses etc.). But are we even sure that the government will utilize the money properly? The money will again go to the tummies of crooks anyway – by means of tenders, contracts and so on. I am not justifying “illegal” mining, but I am saying there is absolutely no hope in the current system. We are a democracy for namesake. We are actually corruptocracy where if you are rational, intelligent and smart you will be corrupt and it pays pretty well to be so.
20 July 2010 at 8:36 pm
In their ruthless march to obscene wealth and unchallenged power, the Bellary bros (as well as certain Cong-I crooks and JDS dons) have smarty pocketed politicians of all parties too!
For example, despite their publicity-driven protests and pseudo dramas in the state assembly, the entire ‘soil clan’ is involved in transporting the iron ore while also illegally mining!
A lady called Anita was once upon a time ‘working’ as a engineer and MDs office secy in a Blr company that was basically a front for converting black money into white apart from acquiring tech-parks. Luckily prosperity shined on her overnight after a new PM was announced and she was swiftly allotted a bunch of Petrol Bunks/Pumps under the “Unemployed Graduate” category by the Govt led by a humble farmer and poor son-of-the-soil. Today this businesswoman’s interests ranges from super premium software tech parks, exclusive real estate, mineral transport, containers to producing films, mining and hotels abroad!
Apparently the son-of-the-son-of-the-son-of-the-soil, is now part of the Board of a few of these firms! One will recall this hero, a Hummer-driving college dropout and two of his drugged pals ransacking Hotel Empire on Church Street and beating employees when he was refused mutton biryani at 3.30 AM. The son-of-the-son-of-the-soil later claimed that the hero made a mistake but had now reformed, most probably by Sri Sri Sri or Swami Nityananda.
Well, like the Reddy’s claim to fame these modern day ‘heroes, entrepreneurs and leaders of the soil’ ensure they have a ‘clean tax record too…Yes, they are all as clear as 24-Carat Gold! In fact, the aspiring drag-race champion, school drop-out and son-of-the-son-of-the-son-of-the-soil, is also a noted Income tax assesse (with a number of fancy sports cars and superbikes registered in his name, to boot), though the individual wealth is always ridiculously under-stated and unknown.