From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 23: In the escalating face-off between the Congress government in the State and the Raj Bhavan over the grant of sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA site allotment scam, Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot has returned 15 bills.
“Obviously, BJP is behind this action (of returning the bills) by the Governor, who has gone by the advice of BJP leaders,” alleged Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday.
Speaking to media persons near his residence in Bengaluru, Shivakumar caustically asked: “If Governor acts on the advice of BJP leaders (who are ruling in Delhi), what the need for governments in a democratic is set up?”
Shivakumar said: “The government is ready to provide any explanations and clarifications if required. We cannot criticise if the Govenor seeks clarifications or explanations as he is bound to do that.”
“We can only pray that God will guide the Governor to act as per the Constitution,” he said.
To a question on whether the returning of the bills by the Governor was part of the designs to topple the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the State, he said: “No attempts to pull down the government will succeed. If any attempt is made, we will not remain silent. We will do our work.”
Asked about the State Cabinet’s decision to sell land to Jindal when the Congress party had opposed it in the past, Shivakumar said the government has decided to provide land in accordance with law and no additional lands have been allotted.
“We need industrialisation and creation of jobs. The industries in the State must survive. The decision to sell land was taken based on the past allotments. We have corrected the anomalies (of the previous BJP regime),” he said.
On his visit to Delhi to meet party high command along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Deputy Chief Minister said the visits were to brief the Central leaders.
Asked about Home Minister D G Parameshwar also visiting Delhi, he said: “There is nothing wrong. We can’t object to the visits. He has his own work and also party work. So all of us are going together as I too have official and party work.”