Mining row: Left,Lok Dal rally behind Naidu

New Delhi,Nov 28 (INN):Every nation makes efforts to protect its natural resources but India provides opportunity to a few influencial persons to loot the rich mineral resources, stated Telugu Desam supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday.Talking to media persons after meeting CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, Politburo member Sitaram Yechury,CPI general secretary A.B Bardhan and Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh, Naidu said if this `mining mafia’ is allowed to loot the resources, within ten years,all the mineral resources in the country would be drained away.Naidu said the mafia was not only confined to Andhra Pradesh alone,but also spread to all other states, he pointed out.

He urged the Centre to immediately convene an all-party meeting to discuss the activities of the mining lobby which is ‘looting the nation’s wealth in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.’He alleged the Andhra and Karnataka governments extended their cooperation to the Reddys of Karnataka in looting mineral wealth from Obulapuram.He demanded that the Congress and BJP leadership direct Chief Minister K Rosaiah and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa respectively to take stringent action against illegal mining.Bardhan and Ajit Singh said the mining mafia was a threat to democracy and agreed to jointly work with Naidu.