Centre rejects governor’s report on K’taka
In what can be viewed as a major snub to Karnataka governor H.R. Bharadwaj, the Centre on Sunday decided to reject his recommendation that President’s Rule be imposed in the state. In what can be seen as a bid to avert a constitutional crisis in the state, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided to reject the report.
The meeting took place shortly after the Prime Minister had hosted a dinner bash at his 7, Race Course Road (RCR) residence to celebrate the completion of two years of UPA-II. While the Centre had already made clear its unhappiness with the governor’s recommendation and its disinclination to act on it, it had been sitting on his report for a week now.
The Centre had also indicated that the governor had “overstepped his brief” in what his report contained. And yet, the Centre’s step of rejecting the governor’s report in an Opposition ruled state is somewhat unusual. The rejection of the governor’s report came on the even of the PM’s departure for a six-day visit to Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Union home minister P. Chidambaram told reporters tonight shortly after the meeting concluded: “The CCPA today met to discuss the Karnataka Governor’s report and after careful consideration decided not to accept his recommendations.”
However, even as the governor’s report has been rejected by the Centre, it has decided to issue an advisory to the BJP-led Karnataka government. The advisory is likely tell the Karnataka government not to take any unconstitutional steps and that there should be no violation of the provisions of Article 355 of the Constitution.
Also, it is learnt that the CCPA has also directed the home ministry to draw the attention of the B.S.Yeddyurappa-led Karnataka government drawing its attention to the various points raised by the government. Mr Chidambaram hoped that the state government would pay heed to the advisory. The confrontation between the governor and the BJP government had even led to Mr Yeddyurappa parading 122 MLAs before President Pratibha Patil last week in a bid to show the support that he enjoys.
Apart from this, his party had rallied behind him and was threatening to launch a nation-wide stir against the governor’s move.
The BJP had even asked the Centre to reject the governor’s report by Monday else it had said it would launch an agitation seeking its rejection and the recall of the governor.
Post new comment