AH Vishwanath red flags sale of 3,666 acres land to Jindal Group

MYSURU: Former minister and BJP MLC AH Vishwanath has opposed the outright sale of 3,666 acres of land to Jindal Group at a throwaway price, and demanded that the cabinet reconsider its decision.

He urged ministers to write to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa not to ratify the cabinet approval that has raised eyebrows, and given room for suspicion on the hurried decision. “Why should anyone give land to a businessman at a throwaway price of Rs 1.7 lakh per acre, as per the year 1995 guidelines, when the market value is Rs 70 lakh per acre?” he asked.

Expressing displeasure at ministers for not raising concern over the issue mentioned in the cabinet note, Vishwanath said the government should constitute a joint legislature committee that will look into the utility of land, dues from Jindal to the government, and also gather public opinion on this deal.

He said he had, on many occasions in the past, opposed such moves and had come out in public to apprise the people of the government’s move, though it had opposed the sale of land to Jindal in 2019. Fearing that the sale of land at a throwaway price would give the company free hand to use it for real estate, he said the government should know it is selling land rich in minerals in the mining area.

Vishwanath said he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this decision, that would cause great loss to the state, and wanted it cancelled. Hitting out at Opposition leader Siddaramaiah for his silence, and Ecology and Tourism Minister Anand Singh for skipping the cabinet meeting, he said the failure of the opposition party had made him take up the issue. 

“When it is difficult for urban development authorities and the state government to even allot sites, how can you sell 3,666 acres of land at one go?” he asked. Asked about poor Covid management in government hospitals, Vishwanath said that district minister S T Somashekar had convened a meeting to improve services. He said no one is questioning private hospitals that are charging Rs 35,000 instead of Rs 10,000 per day. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah is silent as his MLA son Yathindra runs five private hospitals, he said.