Is Bsy Being Hounded?

Two CBI charge-sheets state that there is no malafide intention or quid pro quo found in the charges of favouring Jindal Mining Company

In his needless aggressive speech at Dehradun recently, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi took the name of BJP strongman and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa while talking about corruption. “BJP cannot see Yeddyurappa’s corruption in Karnataka,” he declared. But as is typical nature of all Congressmen, Rahul Gandhi too adopted the convenient way of resorting to “half truths” and Gobbles Theory.

The fact of the matter is that Yeddyurappa resigned from the post of chief minister in July 2012 when his name found a mention in the report submitted by the then Lokayukt Justice Santosh Hegde on the issue of illegal mining. But the Karnataka High Court, in its verdict on March 9, 2013, quashed the Justice Santosh Hegde’s report on the grounds that the principle of natural justice was not adopted by Justice Hegde by not providing opportunity to Yeddyurappa to explain his version. Leave aside legal luminaries, even the common man with elementary knowledge of law found out that Justice Hegde was wrong in mentioning Yeddyurappa’s name.

How and why Justice Hegde—former Judge of the Supreme Court—committed such a grave blunder is inexplicable. Was he not aware of this elementary aspect? Or was he doing this at the behest of somebody, who, obviously, could be detractors of Yeddyurappa, both inside and outside the party? If so, who are these detractors? How and why did Justice Santosh Hegde resort to this blatant un-professional approach thus staking his image and credibility? The answer is very simple, “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, kept inside an enigma.” Only Justice Santosh Hegde should come out as to why he did what he ought not to have done.

When the Karnataka High Court quashed the report of Lokayukt, logic ought to have dictated the future course of events. He resigned from the post of chief minister when his name was mentioned by Justice Santosh Hegde in his report. Now that the report has been quashed by the Karnataka High Court Yeddyurappa ought to have been asked to return to his post, in all fairness. But it is inexplicable as to who among the BJP central leadership prevented him from getting justice.

Sandeep Patil, advocate, appearing for Yeddyurappa in various cases in the Supreme Court, Lokayukt court as well as CBI court, told Uday India that apart from the now-quashed Lokayukt report on illegal mining, Yeddyurappa is facing six more cases, five being investigated by the Lokayukt based on private complaints filed by one Siranjin Basha and one more being probed by the CBI on the allegations of favouring Jindal Mining Company.

“Though, the CBI has submitted two charge-sheets in the court, the country’s premier investigating agency, however, has clearly stated that it has not been able to make out a malafide intention and quid pro quo in the so-called charge of

favouring the Jindal Mining Company during his tenure as chief minister,” Sandeep Patil, a young and articulate advocate, explained.

Refusing to reply categorically whether the CBI is hounding Yeddyurappa at the behest of the ruling party, Sandeep Patil said, “I am an advocate. My task is to get justice to my client. Political dynamics and inter-party issues are not my cup of tea. I would not like to get into these political discussions. It is for the politicians and journalists to draw their own inference.”

On his part, Yeddyurappa has been going round the state, galvanising the party cadre and mobilising the people in favour of Modi-For-PM mission. The day on which he came out of Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, thousands of people were awaiting for him outside the jail. His whirlwind tour of the state thereafter saw lakhs of people thronging all along the highway, even at late night. That was the proof of Yeddyurappa being mass leader and there was no sign of his image and credibility getting damaged on account of his “wrong going to jail”.

When Uday India contacted him, Yeddyurappa said, “I have been telling right from day one that I am innocent. I will come out with flying colours, unscathed. I have unflinching faith in the judiciary.” He explained, “I was the one who stopped illegal mining and declared that permission for steel companies would be given only if the steel is used within the state. How can I be accused of indulging in illegal mining? Every day, it is being proved that I am a victim of manipulation and machinations. It was a politically motivated allegation, only to destabilise my government. Only I know how I safeguarded the BJP government from the machinations indulged in by our political opponents to topple the first-ever BJP government. But, our own men did not stand by me, when I needed them most. Yet, it is all past. I have said let bygones be bygones only in the interest of seeing Modi as Prime Minister.”

Yeddyurappa’s departure from BJP cost the party very heavily. The split in the BJP votes ensured the return of the Congress, purely on technical reasons. The BJP central leadership realised the clout and reach of this “sole-mass leader” and asked him to return to the party fold and take charge of campaigning to make Modi the Prime Minister. Ever since he became “prodigal son” Yeddyurappa has left no stone unturned to galvanise the party cadre and mobilise the people.

As far as the cases are concerned, Yeddyurappa is getting relief in one after another case. Even as he keeps an eye on the ongoing cases through his advocates, this stormy petrel of Karnataka politics is concentrating more on mobilising the people. Before leaving for Hubli to look after the public meeting arrangements and preparation for Modi’s rally, Yeddyurappa said, “I am waiting for that day, when, like Modiji, I too can shout from the rooftop, Satyameva Jayate.”

By SA Hemantha Kumar from Bengaluru