Land of Lime

To,

Shri D. T. Jayakumar

Minister for Housing, Government of Karnataka, District-in-charge Minister, Mysore

Dear Shri Jayakumar,

Greetings from a warm, sunny Chicago. May I state at the outset that unlike many of our fellow countrymen, I am big admirer of politicians and their genuine desire to do something good for India within certain limitations. Sure, politicians are corrupt and nepotist but who amongst us isn’t, especially when we have an opportunity to act on it. On the contrary, I am genuinely suspicious of bureaucrats, intellegentsia, tehnocrats and entrepreneurs, who I believe serve their class interests (upper or middle class) and are accountable to nobody. Politicians have to face the electorate every once in a while and face the music, so to speak.

Now having said this, let me quote a little from this morning’s Star of Mysore and do a reality check of sorts. These are the statements attributed to you:

Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) is a bogus and land-mafia company. The main aim of Ashok Kheny, Managing Director of NICE, is not cons-truction of the Expressway but building Townships along the route to rake in huge profits, said Housing and District In-charge Minister D.T. Jayakumar.

Guess what, Mr. Minister? You are right, daitribe aside! Did you realize the truth about NICE only now? Did you think Ashok Kheny is in the business of philanthrophy?

If NICE was a genuine company, the Expressway project would have been completed by now. It had purchased land for less than five lakh rupees per acre from the helpless farmers and selling the same for over one crore rupees per acre, making huge profits, particularly in Bidadi region, Jayakumar argued.…… Moreover, the company had pledged the land Ealready purchased and raised loans of more than Rs. 150 crore, he said.

Mr. Minister, Expressway would have been completed if you had allowed NICE to build it because NICE too wants to make as much profit as it can and as quickly as it can. As far as raising money by pledging land is concerned, that’s how the (capitalist) system works. Businessmen do this routinely. If you realized this only now, you are not as smart as you seem to be. If you are putting it out for public consumption, then you are also not being smart.

Speaking to reporters at the Government Guest House here today, the Minister disclosed that a Bill will be placed in the Karnataka Assembly seeking to redeem the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project from the vice-like grip of NICE soon. ….. In case NICE refused to execute the Project, after the Government decides to arrest the Expressway Project from NICE, global tenders would be invited and the project awarded to the most deserving company, Jayakumar disclosed.

You want to invite tenders again? If you want to build the road, build the damn road. We are all tired of this repeated song and dance show. NICE isn’t the problem here. You need to be clear about your public policy objectives. If you want to protect the farmers and farming land, then do it. If you want to build just the road, do it. If you want to also build the townships, do that too. If you don’t want to do any of the above, that’s fine too. We have given you the responsibility to do any or all of this for the next three years. If you slip up, then we will ask questions during election time.

But please don’t take us to be fools. I have this sneaking suspicion that you realize this. Well, you have lost your share of elections and you should know.

Sincerely,