Bangalore: Apparently upset over the Centre
rejecting his report recommending President`s rule in
Karnataka, Governor H R Bhardwaj on Thursday said Raj Bhavan was
like a prison where he was a "jail bird."
"Raj Bhavan is like a prison and I am like a jail bird
here," Bhardwaj said, making no secret of his unhappiness over
the recent turn of events culminating in the Centre rejecting
his recommendation that had triggered a political war in the
state and put him and ruling BJP on a collision course.
The BJP had launched an agitation demanding recall of
Bhardwaj who has been having uneasy relationship with the
saffron party`s first ever government in the south.
At a function at Raj Bhavan, Bhardwaj said since he had to
function within the framework of the Constitution, he had no
freedom to take decisions independently.
He said his entry into politics was by accident and added
that prior to his plunge into politics he was a good advocate.
"I am not a politician or a thinker. I am a good
advocate," he said in an apparent bid to reject BJP`s
accusations that he has turned Raj Bhavan into a political
hub.
Raj Bhavan doors are always open to thinkers and they may
visit it, he said.
Bhardwaj, who has been criticising the functioning of the
Yeddyurappa government, had recommended its dismissal on
October 11 last when 16 MLAs including 11 BJP rebels, withdrew
support to the ministry. It was rejected by the Centre then.
Following the Supreme Court`s recent verdict quashing the
Assembly Speaker`s order disqualifying the 16 MLAs ahead of
the trust vote in October last year, Bhardwaj sent a special
report on May 15 recommending President`s rule.
Virtually snubbing him, the Centre again rejected his
report and chose to send an advisory to the Yeddyurappa
government on various issues including repeated instances of
corruption and illegal mining besides alleged discrimination
against minorities.
The Centre`s advisory has attracted criticism from
Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders.
PTI
