Karna CM hits out at Guv; violence mars BJP?s bandh

As the tussle between Karnataka Governor HR Bharadwaj and chief minister BS Yeddyurappa over the latter?s role in alleged land scams grew murkier, Yeddyurappa on Saturday defended his stand and targeted Governor HR Bharadwaj as an ?agent of the UPA?.

Yeddyurappa also sought to justify the state-wide shutdown called by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which witnessed widespread violence and led to curfew being clamped in capital city Bangalore.

To add to the chief minister?s woes, two criminal cases were filed against him before the Lokayukta special court on Saturday.

Defending his refusal to step down, Yeddyurappa said at a press conference here, ?Why should I resign?

?Nobody resigned just because someone filed a false case.?

Hitting out at the Governor for his sanction to prosecute Yeddyruappa in the alleged land scams, the chief minister said, ?The Governor is acting as an agent of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance ? the Congress-led ruling alliance at the Centre).?

He also questioned the motive of the Governor, saying Bharadwaj?s ?intention is mala fide?.

?The Governor has hurt the feelings of the people,? Yeddyurappa added.

On Union Home minister P Chidambaram?s criticism, he said, ?I have great respect for Chidambaram,? without commenting any further.

In a statement in New Delhi on Saturday, Chidambaram said “that the law in respect of a Governor giving sanction to prosecute a Chief Minister or a Minister is clear and well-settled.”

The Karnataka Government was obliged to maintain law and order in the state, said Chidambaram reacting to BJP sponsored state-wide bandh to protest Governor H R Bhardawj’s sanction to prosecute Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in alleged land scams.

On the state-wide shutdown, Yeddyurappa said, ?We called a peaceful bandh against the Governor’s decision. It was a success. The people of Karnataka took part and expressed anger against the unconstitutional and mala fide decision taken by Governor.?

Meanwhile, two advocates ? Sirajin Bhasha and KN Balakrishna ? on Saturday filed separate petitions before the Lokayukta special court.

The two lawyers, who had moved the Governor to prosecute the chief minister, made Yeddyurappa the prime accused in their petitions on the alleged land scams.

While the first petition involves the chief minister and six others, the second petition names Yeddyurappa, his two sons and 14 others.
The petitions will come up for hearing on January 24.

Meanwhile, curfew was clamped in India’s best known IT hub- Bangalore – on Saturday as marauding protesters set afire score of public vehicle to enforce total shut to vent ire against the Karnataka Governor’s sanction for prosecution of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for alleged land scam.

At least 30 government buses were set on fire in Bangalore, Hasan, Tumkur and Davanagere district, Jayanagar, Electronic City and K R Puram as the pro-bandh supporters – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -had been targeting bus depots to cripple life.

The Police Commissioner has enforced section 144 prohibitory order in Bangalore for the next 48 hours.

Governor H S Bharadwaj, who singed prosecution order against the CM, has appealed for peace.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has asked the Union Home Secretary to keep in touch with the Karnataka’s Director General of Police (DGP) and get latest law and order situation.

Yeddyurappa, in a letter to the Governor on Friday, said, “It is very unfortunate that being a constitutional head of the state, a copy of the order passed by you was not handed over to me and the information of such an order was divulged to the press.”

Shouting slogans against the Governor, the BJP activists made life practically shut in major parts Karnataka. Crowds became thin and vehicles went off the road as the day progressed while gates of educational institutions and offices remained shut.

The day, being the third Saturday, was however, a normal holiday for Bangalore University.

The spat between Bhardwaj and Yeddyurappa has been going for months after the latter survived no-motion confidence motion in the Assembly following rebellion among the party legislators and some independents.

Meanwhile, the administration tightened security measures across the state deploying police in all vulnerable areas.

Thirty platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and 18,000 policemen will be on high alert to prevent any untoward incidents on the bandh day, City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said.

The Old Madras Road remained blocked for hours near the tin factory with the BJP workers staging demonstration against the Governor?s decision. The workers also burnt an effigy of the Governor.