Bhardwaj Rebuffs CM Again, Returns Bill on Akrama-Sakrama

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Sep 27: Governor Hans Raj Bhardwaj, who has been at loggerheads with the B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP regime more often than not, has returned the Karnataka Town and Country Planning and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2009, popularly known as the Akrama-Sakrama legislation, providing for regularisation of unauthorised constructions in the state for the second time.
               
Home and transport minister R Ashok, who is chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee on Akrama-Sakrama scheme and an ardent votary of the move, indicated that the governor had returned the Bill to the government stating that the issue was pending before the state High Court.
               
The governor had refused to give his assent to the Ordinance promulgated by the government for regularisation of the illegal constructions in different cities across the state suggesting that the legislation should be discussed in the state legislature first instead of being promulgated as an ordinance.

Following the governor’s decision to return the Bill, the state is exploring various options, including legal, for regularisation of illegal structures, the minister indicated.

Incidentally, the governor, a former union law minister,  had recently declined assent to the state’s controversial Bill on banning cow slaughter and referred it to the President for scrutiny, inviting the anger of the ruling BJP which has vowed not to rest till the ban was implemented.

Bhardwaj had publicly chastised the Yeddyurappa regime over various issues ever since he assumed charge as the governor, starting with the series of attacks on churches, the alleged assaults on women and girls in Mangalore and other places as also other incidents of moral policing, including illegal mining and law and order, bringing him and the ruling party on a collision course.

The state BJP leaders, particularly the state BJP president K S Eshwarappa and even former national BJP president Venkaiah Naidu, have been openly critical of the governor and had even accused Bhardwaj of acting as an agent of the Congress. Naidu, a Rajya Sabha member from state, had gone to the extent of asking the governor to resign his post and become a spokesman of the Congress if he was so much enamoured of the Congress-led UPA regime which had appointed him to Raj Bhavan.

The issue would also be discussed with minister for law and parliamentary affairs S Suresh Kumar and state advocate general Ashok Harnahalli, he said mentioning that he would first discuss the issue with the chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

However, Ashok claimed that the advocate general had informed him that the matter was not before the court.

The government would provide all clarifications sought by the governor and appealed to him to reconsider his decision, he said adding that implementation of the proposed law would also help families to get access to basic services in cities and towns.

Official sources said the governor’s action was based on a state High Court verdict last year, which disapproved of regularisation of illegal constructions.

It may be recalled that the Bill was passed without a debate and amidst dharna by the Opposition demanding a CBI probe into illegal export of iron ore from the state during the budget session of the state legislature.

The law and parliamentary affairs minister, who spoke to reporters, disclosed that he or other ministers would meet the governor, if necessary, and convince him about the importance of the Bill.

The Bill was passed keeping in mind the interests of the poor and middle class families who had built houses on revenue sites measuring 30x40 sq ft  and 20x20 sq ft or built houses in violation of the law, Ashok explained.