By IANS,
New Delhi: Joining other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in demanding recall of Karnataka Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging Bhardwaj was “destroying and demolishing the federal structure of the country”.
“The Governor of Karnataka Shri H.R. Bhardwaj who has been a very senior Congress leader, instead of performing his duties as the constitutional head of the state, and acting like a bridge between the union and the state governments, has been indulging in activities in gross violation of constitutional provisions, democratic principles and above all, the basic tenets of federal structure,” an official statement quoted Modi as saying in the letter.
The statement said that Modi has “requested the Prime Minister to urge the President of India to urgently recall the services of Shri H.R. Bhardwaj as Governor of Karnataka, in the true spirit of our Constitution and our federal framework”.
“When several states are being ruled by different political parties other than ruling party at the centre, such behaviour of the Karnataka Governor puts at stake the federal fabric of the country, which is one of the foundation stones laid down by our founding fathers,” Modi said in his letter, according to the statement.
BJP leaders met Manmohan Singh Monday and President Pratibha Patil Tuesday to demand the recall of Bhardwaj after he submitted a report recommending president’s rule in the state.
Bhardwaj submitted the report after the Supreme Court May 13 quashed the disqualification of 11 BJP and five Independent legislators of Karnataka.