Cong leader Margaret Alva charges Modi, Shah with trying to destabilise Karnataka govt.

PTI, Aug 20, 2024, 4:28 PM IST

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Margaret Alva on Tuesday charged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah with trying to destabilise the party government in Karnataka “using” the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.

“The Gujarat Duo are at their game again, not having learnt their lesson even after the people of India voted to curtail their power,” Alva, a former Governor, said, without mentioning their names.

Gehlot on August 16 granted sanction permitting investigation against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah under 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and prosecution under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, on corruption charges.

Alva added: “Determined to destabilise opposition governments they have now set their eyes on Karnataka and its Backward Class, popular Chief Minister using their ‘Sevak’ in Rajbhavan to play their game. But the Congress and its leadership is strong and cannot be shaken.”

She recalled that the Morarji Desai government dismissed the Devaraj Urs government in Karnataka in 1978 and dissolved the Assembly through the “Governor’s game.” “But the same Governor had to swear him back again after the elections.”

The people of Karnataka cannot be fooled — we will fight back and win, under the leadership of Siddaramaiah, Alva said.

Siddaramaiah has termed as “trumped-up” the allegations of irregularities in the allotment of sites to his wife Parvathi by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

In his writ petition challenging the Governor’s order in the High Court on Monday, the Chief Minister submitted that it was issued without due application of mind, in violation of statutory mandates, and contrary to constitutional principles, including the advice of the Council of Ministers, which is binding under Article 163 of the Constitution of India.

Siddaramaiah, who has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, said the Governor’s decision is legally unsustainable, procedurally flawed, and motivated by extraneous considerations.

On the petition filed by him, the High Court passed interim orders directing the trial court to defer proceedings on complaints against him and further instructing that no precipitative action be taken pursuant to the sanction till August 29.

The BJP has demanded the Chief Minister’s resignation to pave way for a transparent and unbiased investigation.