B'lore: Eshwarppa, Ashok Attack Governor for "Acting Like Cong Agent"
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Feb 4: Newly installed Karnataka BJP President and Transport Minister R Ashok have strongly criticised Governor H R Bhardwaj for rejecting the B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP Government’s request for nominating former minister V Somanna as an MLC, and accused the former for ``acting like a Congress agent.’’
Addressing separate news conferences in the city, Eshwarappa, who recently quit his post as state’s Energy unit to take over the presidentship of the state unit of the ruling party, bluntly asked the Governor to resing his post and enter active politics.
Eshwarappa, Somanna, R Ashok
"A person holding the highly respected Constitutional post of a Governor should not function according to the dictates of the political party he belonged before taking up the assignment in Raj Bhavan.’’ Eshwarappa said pointing out that he did not understand the rationale behind the rejection of the nomination of Somanna as an MLC.
Eshwarappa contended that Somanna had done enormous social work as an MLA and as a Minister. ``He (Somanna) has accomplished of social work and service to the public and religious institutions during the last several years,’’ he said contending that there was nothing to desist from nominating Somanna as an MLC.
"Have we not seen nomination of several politicians and leaders defeated in elections to the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha in the past?,’’ he asked demanding a public scrutiny of all politicians who had been rehabilitated through the nomination route either to the Rajya Sabha or state legislative councils.
"I have the highest respect for the Constitutional post of Governor as he or she happens to be the representative of the President at the state-level. Therefore, a person holding the Constitutional post should live according to the dignity and decorum of the office,’’ Eshwarappa said pointing out that the conduct of Bhardwaj since he assumed office was ``highly partisan and objectionable.’’
Meanwhile, state Transport Minister R Ashok suspected the role of the Opposition in the rejection of the nomination of Somanna to the Council by the Governor.
He pointed out that the State Government has recommended nomination of Somanna to the Council under a special category for people of eminence as enshrined in Article 171 (3) read with 171 (5).
But the Governor has said Somanna "is a political defector" and declined to nominate him to the Upper House while accepting the nominations of actor turned politician Jaggesh, who had also resigned from Congress and joined BJP, and educationist Prof P V Krishna Bhat.
Ashok said the Governors in the past had accepted Government’s recommendations for nominating politicians to the council on the grounds social work. The Congress might have influenced the Governor to reject Somanna’s nomination, he said.
Somanna quit the Congress and joined the BJP during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Later he contested the by-elections from Govindarajangara constituency in the city was defeated by Priya Krishna of the Congress. Incidentally, Somanna had quit the Janata Dal and joined the Congress on the eve of the 2004 assembly polls, and had won on the Congress ticket. He had retained the seat again on Congress ticket in the 2008 assembly polls.
The Minister said Shivraj Patil, who had lost elections in 2004, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha and made Union Minister for Home.
Bhardwaj, who held the portfolio of Union Law Minister, should have been well aware of the provisions of the Constitution. The government would appeal to the Governor again to reconsider Somanna’s nomination to the Council, he said.
A final decision on the issue would be taken after a detailed discussion of the issue would with Chief Minister and State BJP President, he said.
Jaggesh, who spoke to reporters separately, promised to take up issues related to the Kannada film industry in the Upper House to draw the Government attention.
Ashok, who was instrumental in getting his Vokkaliga community man nominated to the council, congratulated Jaggesh and urged him to work for promoting the cause Kannada, its culture and film industry.
Eshwarappa, while addressing the media, contended that the B K Somashekar Commission of inquiry, which probed into the 2008 Church attack cases, had merely favoured banning ``communal organisations’’ and had ``not specifically mentioned the names of RSS, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal or Sri Ram Sene.’’
Making it clear that BJP had no connection with Sri Ram Sene, he said the other outfits had some links with the party or the RSS. ``We are not shy nor apologetic about our association with these activities, which are involved in social work and revival of Hindu religion and traditions,’’ he said.
The State BJP President said the Yeddyurappa government would have to wait till it received the final report from the Somashekar Commission and said it was not wise nor prudent to comment on an interim report. The propriety of the report being leaked before its actual presentation to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister, who were mainly involved in its constitution, left a lot to be desired, he said.
He wondered whether the Congress leaders or some foreign or Indian priests were behind the ``leak’’ of the Commission’s report in utter disregard and violation of the accepted norms and legal niceties and felt it would be better to learn the truth.
Eshwarappa stoutly denied Congress leader Kagodu Thimmappa’s allegation that he had threatened the Congress leader by telephone or in person. ``Let him prove the allegation if he has any evidence. If he proves that I have threatened him, I will retire from politics,’’ he said asking Thimmappa to accept the challenge.