No question of Bhardwaj’s recall: Chidambaram

PTI

New Delhi, 23 May 2011: The Centre today rejected the demand for recall of Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj with whom the ruling BJP has a running feud. 

 

"There is no question of recalling the Governor", Home Minister P Chidambaram told a press conference here when asked about BJP’s demand for recall of Bhardwaj after his last week’s report recommending a spell of President’s rule in the state and keeping the assembly in suspended animation.

 

Notwithstanding the Centre’s decision to reject Governor’s recommendations, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said today that they would continue to press for the removal of the Governor.

 

"The facts (in the Governor’s report for imposition of President’s rule) did not enable us to come to a conclusion with regards Article 356," he said explaining last night’s decision of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) rejecting the Governor’s report.

 

He said in arriving at the decision the government was "mindful" of the Supreme Court’s judgment on the issue, an apparent reference to the S R Bommai judgement which put strict safeguards in regard to dismissal of a state government by the Centre.

 

Replying to questions, he said that the Centre would issue advisory to the Karnataka government in the aftermath of the Governor’s report.

 

On the Governor’s recommendations, Chidambaram said the "Governor performed his duty and we took our decision".

 

Chidambaram said that advisories have been issued to state governments from time to time like at the time of attacks on minorities in Karnataka and on the issue of armed camps in West Bengal.

 

This is done to draw the state governments’ attention, he said.

 

Asked what was contained in the advisory, he said "don’t indulge in corruption".

 

"Here (Centre) too", a reporter asked to which Chidambaram replied "yes". Though the Centre has not accepted the Governor’s recommendations, Chidambaram said he did not think anything wrong with the Governor raising various issues.

 

"But the fact remains, the Supreme Court set aside the Speaker’s order disqualifying 16 MLAs and made observations which any fair-minded person will know are very strong strictures against the Speaker," he said.