BJP-JD(S) urge Governor to reject Horatti's resignation, seek probe into pressure
A BJP-JD(S) delegation on Sunday met Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and sought constitutional action over the resignation of Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti. The opposition
A BJP-JD(S) delegation on Sunday met Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and sought constitutional action over the resignation of Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti. The opposition leaders alleged that Horatti was forced to resign under pressure from ruling party leaders and asked the Governor to reject what they called an unconstitutional resignation. The delegation, led by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, also demanded a constitutional and legal inquiry against DK Shivakumar, KPCC president BK Hariprasad, MLCs Saleem Ahmed and S Ravi, and others. They alleged that the resignation was obtained through "goondaism" and unlawful pressure, and said the autonomy of the legislature had been undermined. Read Full Story In a petition submitted to the Governor, the leaders said, "We wish to bring to your attention a very serious and alarming development in the State of Karnataka, where the democratic system and constitutional values have completely deteriorated, and the leaders of the ruling party are behaving like goondas." They alleged that though Horatti had said he would resign on August 14, Shivakumar, Hariprasad, Ahmed, Ravi and others went to his office and "exerted intense political pressure on him for more than one-and-a-half hours".
"They threatened him like goondas, and forcibly and unconstitutionally obtained his resignation. This incident is a grave affront to the dignity of the legislature and the sanctity of the Constitution," the petition alleged. Horatti resigned on Friday and said he had been asked to step down by the Congress dispensation. According to him, Congress leaders had told him they would move a no-confidence motion against him if he did not resign. The BJP and JD(S) leaders further alleged that the ruling party ignored procedure during the episode. "Disregarding the rules, they called the Chairman's Personal Secretary and ordered him to bring the chairman's official letterhead," they said. "The ruling party leaders themselves got the resignation letter typed on that letterhead and forcibly and unconstitutionally obtained the chairman's signature on it," they claimed. Calling it one of the darkest days in the history of the Constitution, they said, "This is a direct attack on the basic principles and spirit of the Constitution." They asked the Governor to intervene as the constitutional head of the state, reject the resignation, order an inquiry and take strict action under the Constitution against those allegedly involved.
The BriefWire