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Karnataka governor vs govt face-off as Gehlot reads 3 lines, walks out
Karnataka Governor Gehlot read a brief speech before walking out, igniting protests and accusations of constitutional violations from the state government.
The face-off between governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and the Karnataka government on delivering the customary address approved by the cabinet to both Houses of the state legislature escalated on Thursday after the governor read just three lines of the prepared speech and walked out without waiting for the national anthem to be played even as slogans were raised against him.
On Thursday, ending the suspense over whether he would come to the House to address the joint session –– he had expressed his reservations over 11 paragraphs in the speech which were critical of the Centre –– Gehlot arrived at 11 am. After he was escorted into the House with the ceremonial welcome, Gehlot read only the opening two lines and the final line of the speech.
His address lasted less than two minutes, after which he concluded his speech. “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the state legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this August house,” the first two lines of the speech said. “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the state’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka,’’ the last one did.
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Without waiting for the national anthem to be played, Gehlot walked out. Senior Congress MLC BK Hariprasad, who was seated near the door, blocked the governor’s path requesting him to read the full speech even as Congress MLA Pradeep Eshwar and his colleagues raised slogans against him.
Speaking to reporters after the governor left, chief minister Siddaramaiah condemned Gehlot’s action as “violation of the Constitution”. “The governor has acted as a puppet of the central government. This is a violation of the constitution,’’ he added.
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On Wednesday, the governor had expressed reservations over 11 paragraphs in the speech prepared by the cabinet, which included criticism of the Centre for replacing the employment guarantee scheme MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) with VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)). A delegation led by law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil met the governor requesting him to address the session and agreed to modify some words, but not delete the paragraph referring to VB-G RAM G.
Siddaramaiah maintained the governor was constitutionally bound to deliver the speech prepared by the cabinet under Articles 163 and 176(1) to the joint legislature session commencing every year. A major concern mentioned in the speech was the Centre replacing MNREGA with VB-G RAM G, which had assured 100 days employment to women, small farmers and Dalits in their villages and also doing away with Mahatma Gandhi’s name.
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MGNREGA was introduced by the Manmohan Singh government in 2005 under the Constitution’s directive principles on right to employment, right to food, right to education and right to information. “Now the Centre will decide where work has to be given. Our intention is to restore MGNREGA,” Siddaramaiah added.
Siddaramaiah warned that the protest to bring back MGNREGA will be on the lines of the farmers’ year long agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws, which it had to withdraw. The chief minister said the governor chose to read out his own speech, which the government and the Congress legislators’ are going to protest. “We are examining whether to approach the Supreme Court and will let you know,’’ he stated.
When both Houses reassembled separately for obituary references, pandemonium broke out between the ruling and opposition parties members. In the Assembly, Patil said the governor had insulted the national anthem and sought an apology. “The governor read two lines saying Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka and left without waiting for the national anthem. The protocol of the joint session says very conclusively that after the conclusion of the address of the governor the national anthem will be played again. He should have waited for the national anthem. I don’t know what was the hurry, urgency. He just left like that. It’s unfortunate. It is disrespecting the national anthem, the constitution and insulting our House and people,” he added.
Opposition leader R Ashoka and other BJP members referred to Hariprasad blocking the governor’s path, while Hariprasad said his kurta was partially torn by the BJP. “The BJP tried to do this from behind, let them come in front and do it,” he told the media outside the House. In the council, BJP’s CT Ravi claimed the governor was manhandled. With uproarious scenes continuing in both the Houses followed by the BJP’s dharna in the well, the presiding officers adjourned the proceedings for tomorrow.
