Karnataka govt deceiving farmers: JD(S)

Hubli, Jul 13: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy today (Jul 13) accused the Karnataka government of deceiving farmers under the guise of industrial development and threatened to expose its "nexus" with steel giant Posco.

"The BJP government in Karnataka is looting farmland under the guise of industrial development by deceiving farmers and causing huge loss to the state exchequer," he told reporters here.

He said though the government had exercised restraint in acquiring land in Dakshina Kannada district following protests by locals and NGOs, in Gadag it had cared little for the plight of agitating farmers and had acquired farmland for Posco.

There was a "secret deal" between the government and Posco under which 30 per cent of the steel would be exported to Korea, he alleged. The JD(S) leader said he would "release the secret agreement soon" in Bangalore.

PTI