P Chidambaram slams BJP in Karnataka

Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram has said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s move taking the partyymen to the streets of Karnataka against the state Governor was ” incorrect and unacceptable.”

In a statement 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.

Chidambaram said the ?Government has taken note of the developments in Karnataka.”

“I am not going into the merits of the complaints that were before the Governor in respect of which he has granted sanction for prosecution. The purpose of this statement is to set out the constitutional and legal position.”

He said this was not first time that a Governor has given his sanction to prosecute a Chief Minister and cited example of Justice (Retd) Santosh Hegde, Lok Ayukta of Karnataka, who has observed that the Governor had the jurisdiction to grant sanction for prosecution.

He said he was disappointed that the BJP has taken matter to the streets and this was not “correct and is totally unacceptable.”

He asked the Karnataka government to maintain law and order. He also requested Union Home Secretary G K Pillai to speak to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Karnataka.

” I am glad to note that the BJP no longer says that the alleged transgressions of law in Karnataka are ‘only immoral and not illegal’.?

” Surely, the BJP knows the legal position. The BJP also knows that any person aggrieved by the order of the Governor can seek legal remedies. Hence, it is my sincere hope that the BJP will advise its State unit to abide by the law and will advise the Government of Karnataka to discharge its constitutional obligation to maintain law and order,? he said.