Govt will reconsider decision on sale of land to JSW Steel: CM

Caught in a row over the controversial Jindal Steel land deal, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Tuesday said the government's decision on sale of 3,667 acres to JSWSteelin Ballari will be reconsidered and placed before the cabinet once again for discussion. "I have discussed about the sale of land to Jindal with deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and Industries minister K J George.

I have instructed to reconsider it and place it before the cabinet once again for discussion," Kumaraswamy tweeted. The Karnataka cabinet had recently decided to convert the lease of 3,667 acres to JSWSteel in Ballari into sale, in accordance with the initial agreement. Opposing the move, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday had alleged the ruling coalition of getting "kickback", for the sale of land. Accusing the government of selling the land to the company at a throwaway price, the BJP has announced that it will stage a three-day protest in Bengaluru from June 13.

Causing embarrassment to the coalition, senior Congress leader H K Patil has been opposing the sale, by writing a series of letters to the government. He has maintained that the company had been accused of illegal mining and that it owed dues to the government and state-run Mysore Minerals Ltd. Amid the row, JSWSteel chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal had Saturday said, the company never does anything "illegal" or "disadvantage" the people of Karnataka.