Governor H.R. Bhardwaj on Sunday preferred to play safe on the Lokayukta’s final report on illegal mining, saying he would consult the President once the report is made public.
Speaking at a function here, Mr Bhardwaj, whose relations with the Yeddyurappa government have been anything but cordial, asserted that he had no role to play as the Lokayukta was still finalising the report.
He made it clear that he had not asked the Lokayukta to submit the report to him, adding that a decision on President’s Rule would be taken only after the report comes out.
“I hope that mining activity in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are also under the scanner. In this case, the Lokayukta know about the matter and the Supreme Court is overseeing the investigation. I have not asked the Lokayukta to submit the mining report to me. It’s up to him to take a decision on this. I did not order any inquiry into illegal mining and so, I cannot ask for the report. If he chooses to submit a report to me, I am the competent authority to deal with the government. Let things come on record so that I can express my opinion,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of recommending President’s rule in the wake of the political uncertainty over the mining report, he said: “I have not received any request from either the ruling party or the Opposition which suggests that the situation warrants President’s Rule. I have faith in the Lokayukta and his team and I know they will do justice to the report,” he added.
Meanwhile, state Congress leaders who met governor H.R. Bhardwaj on Sunday came away with the feeling that he would act on the mining report when the time was opportune.
This could perhaps be the opportunity Mr Bhardwaj had been waiting for the past ten months after his recommendation for President’s Rule was rejected by the Centre in October last year, making him the object of ridicule.
Speaking to this newspaper, a senior leader who was part of the delegation which met Mr Bhardwaj revealed that he was in a pleasant mood and said he was keenly observing the day-to-day developments.
Quoting the governor, the source said he had taken note of the phone-tapping allegations and the BJP sending emissaries to the Lokayukta in an attempt to influence him. These were serious issues in themselves while the Lokayukta’s indictment of Mr Yeddyurappa would be the icing on the cake, he said.
The source also said that Mr Bhardwaj was reportedly angry with the BJP leaders’ remarks on him after the Congress-led UPA government rejected his report for President’s Rule for a second time. “The governor has already made preparations to act on the issue even if the state government denies him a copy of the report,” the source explained but refused to elaborate what on the measures the governor intends to take.
After submitting the memorandum, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwar urged Mr Bhardwaj to take action against the chief minister and his colleagues for trying to meddle in the Lokayukta’s investigation. The Congress has accused Mr Yeddyurappa and his colleagues of trying to influence the Lokayukta, for leaking the mining report to the media and for tapping Justice Hegde’s phone.
On Justice Hegde’s revelation that higher education minister Dr V.S. Acharya and BJP leaders Dhananjay Kumar and A.G. Kodagi tried to influence him during the investigation, the memorandum said this was an offence under Section 17 and 17A of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act. Claiming that the BJP had played a role in selectively leaking the contents of the mining report to the media, the memorandum said it was deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Lokayukta.