Bangalore: Land bill - BJP leaders accuse governor of being pro-Congress

Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jul 10: Former deputy chief minister of Karnataka and former president of state BJP unit, K S Eshwarappa, came down heavily on governor Hansraj Bhardwaj, accusing him of following a policy of duality.

Speaking to presspersons at the BJP office at Malleshwaram in the city on Tuesday July 9, Eshwarappa pointed out that the governor, who had rejected the scheme for regularization of illegally occupied government land when it was put up for his approval in the form of a bill by the BJP government, has now given his assent for the same during the Congress regime. 

“The scheme for providing land to lacs of people living in utter poverty had been drafted by the BJP government. But the governor had rejected the bill when it was forwarded to him for his assent twice. What can we infer from the governor’s action in giving his nod to the bill when Congress is in power?” he questioned.

Eshwarappa felt that it was the governor’s duty to approve bills that are meant to benefit the downtrodden, when mooted by the governments, irrespective of the political party in power at the time. He accused the governor of rejecting the bill when moved by the BJP regime, only because of the fact that BJP was ruling the state then and hence BJP would have got credit for implementing the scheme. He charged the governor of bringing politics even in matters relating to the welfare of the poorest of the poor through an act of dichotomy.

He also wanted the scheme of regularization which has been implemented in rural places, to be extended even to urban areas. When questioned about his stand on the return of Yeddyurappa into BJP, Eshwarappa said he will stand by the decision taken by the party high command.

Former minister, C T Ravi, speaking at Chikmagalur, noted that the governor had proved once again his leaning towards the Congress by giving his nod to the bill relating to the regularization of encroached government lands now. He noted that the bill now approved had been unanimously passed by both the houses during the BJP regime twice, but the bill was kept in limbo by the governor.

He recalled that the governor then had accused in certain public functions, that the said bill was the result of a conspiracy meant to benefit real estate mafia and usurping public property. “The governor had returned the bill then without approving it. The governor’s behavior has often been observed to strengthen the popular notion that this gubernatorial post is being misused for political ends.  If not, how could a bill, which was not acceptable during the time of BJP government, suddenly become acceptable?” Ravi questioned.

He also urged the governor to clarify as to whether his changed decision had stemmed out of his love for the Congress, or whether any outside influences had compelled him to approve the bill.

Reacting to the allegation made by JD(S) leaders that Siddaramaiah has been doing injustice to Vokkaliga community, Ravi chided both JD(S) and Congress parties for showing their real colours by fighting between them in the name of castes, while following a policy of pseudo secularism by projecting before the people of being beyond the realms of religions and castes. “These parties often accuse BJP of being communal. But BJP had never played politics in the name of specific castes like they are doing now,” he remarked.