Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Jun 20: Karnataka governor Hansraj Bhardwaj indicated that he will not be allowing politicians to gain positions of power by making back door entry into the legislative council through nominations, which normally are reserved for eminent personalities from social service, art, culture, and such other fields.
The state government has already made up its mind to nominate V S Ugrappa, Shantakumar, Iqbal Ahmed Saradagi, Jayamala, and Ahmed Jabbar to the legislative council. The contention of the governor is that the list, which should have contained names of people with distinguished services in the fields of art, literature, education, social service etc, is made up of political personalities.
When he was questioned at New Delhi on the approval of the list recommended by Karnataka government for nominations to the legislative council, Bhardwaj said that he is not aware whose names the government will be forwarding to him for approval. However, he clarified that in the past, he had thwarted an attempt to induct Somanna of the BJP as MLC through the nomination route, and that he would be following the same yardstick now.
Bhardwaj gave this reply to news persons who approached him during his visit to New Delhi when he met prime minister, Narendra Modi on Thursday June 19.
"I am yet to receive the list of nominations. Before taking a decision, I will examine the list of names," he said.
On the purpose of his meeting with Modi, he said, "This was a courtesy call. Appointment, removal, transfer etc of governor come under the discretionary powers of the President of India. The President can take a decision as per constitutional provisions, once he receives recommendations from the union cabinet."
In the meanwhile, BJP state president, Prahlad Joshi, has written to the union home minister, asking him to advise the state governor to reject the proposed list of nominations sent by the government for approval, as the list contains only the names of active Congress leaders rather than being true representatives of art, literature, sports, science etc in tune with the intention of the constitution in making this provision.