Karnataka Governor H R Bharadwaj made a scathing attack on the BJP government today, highlighting the mining scam and corruption scandals and strongly refuted allegations that he acted in a partisan manner in recommending President’s rule in the state.
“I am fed up with this kind of corruption in mining...,” Bhardwaj, who is under attack from the BJP, told a press conference and referred to media reports on land-grabbing and (corruption in) denotification of land. “Those who are elected to serve the people, are not governing in Karnataka,” he said. Rejecting the charges of the BJP that he is an agent of the Congress and was not impartial, Bhardwaj noted that the BJP is now resorting to streets (in protest against his recommendation).
“It’s for the people of Karnataka to reply. I am a Governor, my duty is to serve the people of Karnataka, no political parties, no individuals,” he said. “I am not born in Karnataka. But Karnataka gave me tremendous responsibility as Governor, as Head of State. If I fail in it, I will be going against my whole life and my whole career as a legislator, as well as Member of Parliament as well as Governor,” Bharadwaj said.
He said his one-and-half-year stint in Karnataka was highly disappointing and frustrating, adding, those affected by large-scale floods in north Karnataka last year have not got their houses. “Money was sent from the Centre... Rs 1,400 crore. Where has that money gone. I cannot go to the Assembly and debate all that,” the Governor said. He also said he has reached a stage in life when he is very contented and office does not matter to him.
The Governor also took a dig at the government, saying: “When the Reddys (Bellary Reddy brothers who are in the Cabinet raised a banner of revolt last year) hijacked their MLAs, did they disqualify anybody? They (the dissidents then) were promoted.”
“There is no politics so far as I am concerned. It’s governance which has failed,” he said. Bharadwaj said, “When Reddy brothers hijacked 50 MLAs (during the rebellion last year), this Chief Minister was in tears”. “I had sympathy with him because he had been returned by the people of Karnataka. I did not move anything during that time. That revolt against him,” he said, adding, during he last one-and-half years, he has fully cooperated with the government, which can make no grievance against him.