Shivakumar leads Congress’s ‘Raj Bhavan chalo’ march
The delegation submitted memorandum to Governor seeking prosecutions against HD Kumaraswamy and three former ministers
The Congress on Saturday held “Raj Bhavan chalo” rally in Bengaluru to protest against the alleged misuse of the governor’s office after governor Thawar Chand Gehlot over his sanction to prosecute chief minister Siddaramaiah for alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA)
The march to Raj Bhavan from the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the precincts of Vidhana Soudha was led by deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar with ministers, MPs, legislators and Congress functionaries. Siddaramaiah recused from the march. He participated in a dharna before the Gandhi statue, prior to the protest.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, said the march was organised to ensure that Raj Bhavan does not become the office of a political party.
”I want to clarify that the protest was not on behalf of the chief minister as the court is hearing the matter. We are going to Raj Bhavan with a demand to protect the sanctity of this constitutional post,’’ he added.
The governor met the Congress leaders in the banquet hall of Raj Bhavan, where a memorandum was submitted to him. The delegation demanded Gehlot to look into the prosecutions pending his sanction against former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and former BJP ministers G Janardhan Reddy, Murugesh R Nirani and Shashikala Jolle under section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and grant of prior approval under section 17 (A) of the same law.
The governor accorded his nod to prosecute Siddaramaiah and investigate the allegations in the allotment of the alternative sites on August 16, which the Congress is fighting legally and politically.
In the five-page memorandum, the Congress raised concerns against the unwarranted sanction against Siddaramaiah. “The governor granted prosecution sanction against Siddaramaiah without any formal request from an investigation agency, based on petitions from individuals with questionable backgrounds. The Congress sees this as politically motivated,’’ the memorandum stated.
Referring to the pending sanction for Kumaraswamy, it stated: “The Lokayukta’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted several requests for sanction to prosecute Kumaraswamy for his alleged involvement in the illegal approval of a mining lease in 2007. Despite substantial evidence, the governor is yet to grant the necessary sanction.’’
Besides delayed actions in other corruption cases involving former ministers Shashikala Jolle and Murugesh R Nirani, where requests for approval under the Prevention of Corruption Act have been pending despite clear evidence of wrong-doing, the memorandum said.
In the memorandum, the Congress accused the governor of actions that seem politically biased, which they believe is undermining the public’s trust in his being impartial.
”The memorandum demands that the governor immediately act on all pending requests for prosecution sanctions, maintain impartiality, and conduct his duties according to the Constitution, free from political influence,’’ it said.
After meeting the delegation, the governor is reported to have said he will look into the matter.
Meanwhile, Ramesh Babu, president, KPCC media and communication wing, filed a petitioned to President of India Droupadi Murmu seeking her intervention to urge the governor to withdraw the prosecution sanction. The President has replied to Babu asking him to get in touch with the Karnataka government’s chief secretary.