Daijiworld Media Network-Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, Apr 8: JD(S) has demanded an apology from Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala for refusing to meet former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and thereby 'humiliating' him.

On Monday Vajubhai Vala had refused to meet Gowda who had gone to Raj Bhavan y to submit a memorandum demanding the scrapping of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

JD(S) is also planning an agitation against the governor besides requesting the President to recall Vala for humiliating their leader.

Deve Gowda had participated in a rally organised by JD (S) protesting over the formation of ACB and thereafter he had walked to the Raj Bhavan to meet the governor. Deve Gowda waited for 45 minutes for an appointment. But he was sent back with a reason that the governor was unable to meet Gowda as he was taking rest. The JD(S) legislators who had accompanied Deve Gowda were not allowed to enter the Raj Bhavan premises by the officials.

Officials at Raj Bhavan said that the governor had not given a written appointment to Gowda on that day. According to protocol, meeting the Governor is only through appointment.

But JD(S) MLA YSV Datta said there was an oral confirmation about the meeting with Vala. Based on this, Deve Gowda had gone to Raj Bhavan to meet him, Datta said. “On the day of the agitation against the ACB at Freedom Park, the High Grounds police station ACP called us and asked us to be at Raj Bhavan to meet the governor between 2 pm and 3 pm. When we reached Raj Bhavan, we were told that the governor had been resting since 12 noon after lunch.” Datta added.

Datta said if the governor fails to apologise to the former prime minister within the next two days, the party would begin an agitation involving like-minded politicians and pro-Kannada organisations. “A letter would be written to the President to recall the Governor, who has insulted the people of Karnataka,” he said.

“Tax payers and people of Karnataka pay the expense of Raj Bhavan, which runs to crores of rupees. If the governor has no time even to meet a former prime minister, then why should we have such person? All Kannadigas in Raj Bhavan have been driven out and replaced by Gujaratis,” Datta charged.

Some protests were held on Thursday in Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru condemning the attitude of the governor towards the former prime minister.

Deve Gowda, on Monday after governor refused to meet him, had responded angrily by saying “Raj Bhavan has become a place of rest. British left India, but slavery has remained. We do not know where we are today. This is Karnataka, not Gujarat. I am told that the governor wants rest. But he is not older than me. What can I do? He is the governor. Hiis main job is, taking rest. It is not possible for us to talk. I asked the Raj Bhavan officials to let the legislators in. But they did not allow. Legislators are not terrorists. We do not know why the officials behaved like that. As a former prime minister, I am hurt.”