In an effort to pre-empt Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's move to accord sanction for the prosecution of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Minister for Home and Transport R. Ashok in cases related to alleged land scams, an emergency meeting of the Cabinet was held here on Wednesday to prevail upon the Governor to refrain from granting his approval.
Sources said the Governor has indicated to the Chief Minister that he will accord sanction on January 27, a day after he delivers the Republic Day address.
Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Chief Minister have commenced preparations to counter such a move. Two advocates have sought the sanction of the Governor and the Raj Bhavan has, in turn, directed Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath to submit all relevant files before January 20 to enable the Governor to take a decision in the matter.
The Cabinet has said that the Governor's move to permit prosecution of the Chief Minister and the Home Minister is nothing short of a “farce and colourable” exercise. After the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister sent a detailed letter to the Governor incorporating the stand of the Council of Ministers.
The letter has said that neither any investigating agency (the Lokayukta) nor any Commission of Inquiry (the one-man judicial commission headed by Justice B. Padmaraj) has indicted the Chief Minister or the Home Minister. “Hence your (Governor) intended exercise of power to process the request for sanction is wholly without jurisdiction. Your Excellency's action of consideration of the request for sanction will not inspire confidence that the decision would be judicious, fair and bona fide ,” the letter says.
Addressing presspersons after the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S. Suresh Kumar said that when Mr. Yeddyurappa spoke to the Governor on December 31, 2010, Mr. Bhardwaj had indicated that he would accord sanction to prosecute the Chief Minister after the Republic Day. The Governor had also told delegations from the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) in no uncertain terms that he would accord sanction to prosecute the Chief Minister.
