I won’t be a NICE slave, says CM

I won’t be a NICE slave, says CM
Deccan Herald

Bangalore, dhns: “The previous governments might have been his slaves, but I will not be,” was the furious reaction of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy a day after Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) MD Ashok Kheny lashed out at the government. Mr Kheny on Thursday had challenged the chief minister to “sell Vidhana Soudha because even it was built on prime land like the BMIC project”.

He had alleged that Mr Kumaraswamy has been misled by officials who have purchased land, where the BMIC (Bangalore Metropolitan Infrastructure Corridor) project is coming up, under fictitious names. “Who is he to speak like that?

The controversy regarding the BMIC project surfaced only in 2003. What was NICE doing from 1997 to 2003? Why did the work not progress at that time?” asked Mr Kumaraswamy, who is presently in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mr Kumaraswamy reiterated that following his return to Bangalore, he would work on legislation that would follow the parameters of the judgments of the Supreme Court and the State High Court on the project.

Meanwhile, Mr Kheny dismissed the government’s decision to bring in legislation to take over the “excess land”, as “speculative” and “nothing but foolish talk”, but added that his company would move court if the need arose. He was addressing Rotarians at a function organised by Rotary Bangalore Midtown on Friday.

“The wisdom of the Supreme Court’s verdict will be upheld, I don’t think there will be a Bill. However, if the government does manage to bring in legislation, it will spell the doom of private-public partnership in the State. If it happens to the BMIC now, it could happen to the Bangalore International Airport next,” Mr Kheny said.

Meanwhile, NICE has drawn up a list of scenarios that can result in case legislation is brought in. It has threatened to press for damages and claims along with future earnings running into thousands of crores, if a law to take over the project from NICE is brought into force.

Also, NICE sources said a bill like this could lead to a “serious confrontation between the legislature and the judiciary”. “The Supreme Court has already warned the governments that if they keep passing ordinances on judgements given by them, the government should shut the courts down and run the country by themselves,” they said.

They added that the Supreme Court could take a serious view of this move by the State government, and might impose exemplary charges.