With all-round criticism, gov ‘explains’ his stand
In what seems to be a bid to compel the Union government to accept his report seeking the dismissal of the BJP government in Karnataka, governor H.R. Bhardwaj on Tuesday made a strategic move by disclosing contents of the special report sent to the Centre on Sunday.
Interpreting the report in a communiqué, Mr Bhardwaj said the manipulation of numbers inside the Legislative Assembly to win the trust vote, amounted to a constitutional breakdown which was why he had recommended invoking Article 356(1) for President’s Rule.
Sources in the Congress said Mr Bhardwaj seems to have made a risky move by taking a line contrary to that of the Congress leadership which seems to be in no mood to impose President’s Rule. “He seems to have preempted the Centre’s move to force him to withdraw his report,” sources said. Mr Bhardwaj made his bold move after the Centre developed cold feet on his report, which was kept secret for two days, and a series of protests by the ruling BJP. He clarified that he was releasing the contents in a bid to get rid of the misgivings in the minds of the people and to take citizens of Karnataka into confidence, minutes after a BJP delegation met the President in New Delhi on Tuesday. Whether it was a coincidence or not, Mr Bhardwaj released the report after holding discussions with former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G. Parameshwar and senior Congress leader C.K. Jaffer Sharief.
“Imposition of the provisions of Article 356 (1) is necessary whenever there is breakdown of the constitutional mechanism in the state. In Karnataka’s case, the breakdown is due to tampering with the composition of the Assembly in an unconstitutional manner by the Speaker in collusion with the chief minister on October 10, 2010, by disqualifying 16 members just hours before the floor test on October 11, 2010,” Mr Bhardwaj added.
Ridiculing the BJP for parading MLAs before the President, Mr Bhardwaj said, “Whenever such a situation arises, it is the constitutional responsibility of the governor to submit the report on all such matters.”
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