Governor Rejects Plea to Cancel Proceedings for CM's Prosecution
Bangalore, Jan 21 (PTI): Governor H R Bhardwaj on Friday dismissed as ''unwarranted'' a resolution adopted by the state cabinet asking him to drop proceedings for prosecution of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on corruption charges.
In a hard-hitting letter to Yeddyurappa with whom he has strained relations, the Governor told him bluntly that he cannot put a lid on serious allegations of corruption.
"The sum and substance of the Cabinet decision is it simply requires me to put a lid on the serious allegations of corruption against you," Bhardwaj said, referring to the January 19 cabinet meeting resolution forwarded to him.
The cabinet resolution had asked the Governor to drop the proceedings to prosecute Yeddyurappa and Home Minister R Ashoka on alleged scams on the basis of a complaint filed by lawyers' forum, saying such a move was nothing short of a "farce and colourable" exercise on his part.
Quoting a Supreme Court order, Bhardwaj pointed out in his letter that "the Governor is entitled to and required to take an independent decision on the basis of the material available and therefore the Cabinet decision recommending to drop the consideration of the petition itself is unwarranted."
Bhardwaj said, "You are aware, allegations relating to land scams, corruption and manipulation of rules and regulations regarding acquisition and denotifying of public lands regularly appeared in the media since September, 2010."
Allegations of serious nature of corruption were levelled against the office of the Chief Minister by various groups, which submitted representations to him personally, creating a cloud on his (Yeddyurappa's) personal integrity, Bhardwaj said in the letter.
The Governor said the Chief Minister did not furnish any details to his December 15 letter seeking factual information on the allegations levelled against him and added "you simply stated that the allegations were politically motivated and without any basis".
"However, you (Chief Minister) informed me that cases relating to land scams have been referred to a Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice Padmaraj, a retired Judge of the High Court."
The Governor also drew Yeddyurappa's attention to the petition filed by two advocates Sirajin Basha and K N Balaraj on December 28 last stating that the land scams involving the Chief Minister are not being allowed to be probed by the investigating agencies and even the Lokayukta police refused to accept their complaint.
The advocates who had delivered large volumes of documents in support of their allegations submitted that they intended to file a complaint before the designated Special Court and that they need sanction to prosecute the Chief Minister and Home Minister, he said.
Bhardwaj rejected the claim of Yeddyurappa that he told him that he would be according sanction for his prosecution when the Chief Minister made a courtesy call on December 31.
"When you visited Raj Bhavan for a courtesy call on 31.12.2010, I informed you of the receipt of this petition from the Advocates and during the discussion I informed you that this will have to be disposed of expeditiously and this cannot be kept pending indefinitely".
Yeddyurappa demands unconditional apology from Governor
As the friction between his government and Governor H R Bhardwaj intensified, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today demanded an ''unconditional'' apology from him for making certain remarks against his ministry which he said had insulted the people of the state.
Yeddyurappa, who has also convened a cabinet meeting here tomorrow to discuss the fresh developments, said, "For his remarks, he (Bhardwaj) should tender an unconditional apology. He has insulted the people of the state."
"There is a need to take certain decisions. I have called a cabinet meeting tomorrow", an angry Yeddyurappa told reporters before attending the BJP Core Committee meet, which would discuss the Governor's latest outbursts.
It is learnt that the government is mulling adopting a resolution demanding immediate recall of the Governor.
Launching fresh onslaught on the BJP government, Bhardwaj had yesterday likened the
state cabinet resolution asking him to drop proceedings on a complaint seeking permission to prosecute Yeddyurappa over alleged land scams to a "thief admonishing the police", evoking sharp protests from the BJP.
The state cabinet had on Wednesday passed the resolution asking the Governor to drop the proceedings to prosecute Yeddyurappa and Home Minister R Ashok on a complaint with him, saying such a move was nothing short of a "farce and colourable" exercise on his part.
The fresh provocation for BJP came from Bharadwaj's "ulta chor kotwal ko dante" remark yesterday that mocked at the cabinet resolution.
Dashing off a letter to the Governor last night within hours after Bhardwaj's sniding remarks, an angry Yeddyurppa accused him of having "lowered the dignity of the Chief Minister, the entire cabinet and thereby the voters".
Yeddyurappa today said a delegation of BJP Central leaders and MPs from the state would meet President Pratibha Patil on January 24 at Rastrapathi Bhavan.
"The delegation will bring to the notice of the President the conduct of the Governor and demand his recall", he said.
The chief minister alleged that the governor had asked him to dissolve the Assembly.
The state BJP is also holding a meeting of its Core Committee and its executive today to chart out its future course of plans to take on the Governor.
BJP Central Leadership rushed its General Secretary Dharmendra Pradhan, in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, to the city today. Pradhan held brief consultations with state unit leaders and took stock of the situation.
Bhardwaj said yesterday he would take a decision in two days on the complaint by a lawyers forum seeking permission to prosecute Yeddyurappa and Home Minister R Ashoka.
Immediately after the Governor's fresh barbs, the BJP mounted a sharp attack on him and deputed an eight-member ministerial team to counter him before Yeddyurappa wrote an angry letter, deploring his remarks.
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