BS Yeddyurappa not only a 'villain' but a forgotten HERO too

Bangalore, Oct 21: Former Karnataka Chief Minister, BS Yeddyurappa has been indicted in two land denotification cases and is presently in judicial custody at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail.

Yeddyurappa's world suddenly crashed in full media and public glare especially after former Lokayukta of the state, Santosh Hegde submitted his report on the illegal mining activities in Karnataka.

From a powerful Chief Minister, Yeddyurappa suddenly turned into a "villain" for the world. Media reports started bashing him (BSY). Those within the party also did not spare him when some of his own party (BJP) members started doubting the ability and he was forced to submit his resignation as CM. But the country, especially the people of Karnataka seem to have forgotten to recognise the work that BSY had undertaken to help the state go on a fast-track towards development.

Though many BJP leaders did not hesitate to say that Yeddyurappa has maligned the image of the party, it remains a fact that he (Yeddyurappa) was the person who brought BJP to power for the first time in a South Indian state.

Yeddyurappa came into power in 2008 and launched many projects which have ultimately took Karnataka to the list of progressed states in India. For the first time in the history of Indian States, a separate Agricultural Budget of more than Rs 17,000 crore was presented along with the Annual Budget of 2011-12.

Karnataka Government has extended a financial assistance of Rs 400 crore as Deposit Fund to the Marketing Federation during 2010-11 as well. Financial assistance has been increased to Rs. 550 crore for the year 2011-12.

It is the BJP government under Yeddyurappa which took the initiative to bring out a new mining policy with enhanced emphasis on value addition. Karnataka is the first state in the country to introduce such a value added policy. Yeddyurappa not only took the historic step of banning export of iron ore from state, but also argued strongly to adopt a resolution banning export of iron ore in the country at a meeting of the National Development Council in Jul 2010. [See Karnataka's Bountiful Development during BSY's reign]

However, quite surprisingly people have not given Yeddyurappa due credit and in contrast have lambasted his efforts. Co-incidentally, Yeddyurappa missed the first Metro ride on Oct 20 that he was so eagerly hoping to attend since he is still in judicial custody.

Yeddyurappa worked on the Namma Metro project and his predecessor, Sadananda Gowda stole the limelight and enjoyed the inaugural function and the first Metro ride on Thursday. With Yeddyurappa missing the maiden Metro ride and missing his name from being inscribed in the golden plaque of having flagged off Bangalore's moment of pride, the Namma Metro, he spent the historical day in the dingy jail cell.

Here it can also be recalled that when Yeddyurappa tabled his resignation after his name was indicted in the Lokayukta report, Sheila Dikshit is still enjoying her power as Delhi Chief Minister though her name was dragged in the Shunglu report on the corruption charges during the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG 2010). There were reports which showed how Sheila Dikshit and her MP son, shamefully washed their hands off 66 deaths. Unfortunately, the national media has never put up such incidents as their talk of the day.

Tamil Nadu CM, Jayalalithaa; Jammu Kashmir CM, Omar Abdullah have been accused in disproportionate asset case and custodial death case respectively. However, no media organisations have been pursuing the two CMs to table their resignations. No one have so far questioned their eligibility, they did not even face such pressure from their parties what Yeddyurappa had experienced just ahead of submitting his resignation.

Media and opposition leaders did not spare Yeddyurappa when he was admitted in hospital just after his arrest. Criticising his "hospital yatra", many political parties mocked at his situation. Even senior leaders of his own party seem to have left him (BSY) alone and hurt in the battle. [Read: Advani's comment upset BSY]

Citing the reports, it seems that Yeddyurappa has become the "declared" villain of the local as well as national media, however, the court is yet to declare its judgment on the allegations against him.

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