Siddaramaiah had demanded a judicial probe into the Shivamogga blast that killed six people on January 21.
Rejecting the demand by opposition Congress, the Karnataka government on Monday declared that the probe into the blast in Shivamogga district that killed six people would be conducted by the Revenue Commissioner. Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah staged a walkout reacting to the decision, alleging that the state government's adamant stand on the probe is a clear indication that they are trying to protect individuals. "The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's adamant stand is a reflection of their actions. Your words on illegal mining and actions do not match. There is suspicion in your commitment, therefore, we (Congress) are staging a walkout in protest," Siddaramaiah said. Shivamogga is the home district of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa as well as state Revenue Minister KS Eshwarappa. The Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency is represented by Yediyurappa's eldest son BY Raghvendra. As soon as Home, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai made this announcement, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah asserted that a judicial commission headed by a sitting high court judge should be constituted 'for the truth to come out'. Bommai repeatedly contended that Karnataka would not allow illegal quarrying or mining in the state. Six people were killed in a powerful explosion of a truckload of gelatin sticks at a stone crushing unit in Shivamogga district on January 21. Replying on behalf of the BJP government over the incident and the probe related to it, Bommai admitted that illegal quarrying or mining has been going on for some years now under successive state governments. He said there was a nexus between landholders, quarry landholders, explosive material suppliers and some officials leading to such illegal activities. "We need to break it by taking steps like increasing the fines and jail term for breaking rules and making 'mineral protection force' effective," Bommai added. On the Shivamogga incident, Bommai said officials had given the owners license for crushing despite knowing that illegal mining or quarrying was taking place at the site and cases were booked against them earlier. "Explosive materials had arrived from Andhra Pradesh. It looks like no rules/ regulations or permit conditions were followed. Investigations are on and we will act stringently against all those responsible," the Minister said. On Siddaramaiah's demand that those guilty must be booked under Section 302 of IPC for murder, instead of Section 304 (culpable homicide), the state Home Minister asserted that it can be done in due course based on the investigation. "The government has taken this case seriously, especially transportation and storage of large quantities of explosives. Though reports suggest it was nearly 1,350 kg, only a probe can ascertain it," he said, adding that control on transportation of explosives is necessary to check illegal mining. The state Home minister said as part of the probe, police have seized such materials in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh which in itself is a worrying sign. "I am more worried about large quantities of gelatin sticks being transported and imagining its outcome, if this explosive reaches in the hands of anti-social elements or terrorists," he said. He said the state government was taking steps to control 'excessive hoarding' of explosives, as he noted that cases were booked against those involved under the stringent Explosives Act.
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