Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is yet to receive a copy of Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's order granting sanction to two advocates to prosecute him, told The Hindu : “The Governor is biased. His action has vindicated our stand that he has prejudged the case. It is against the principles of natural justice.”
Mr. Yeddyurappa said: “This is nothing but broad daylight murder of democracy and justice. What the Opposition parties could not achieve directly through the mandate of the people has been achieved by them through the office of the Governor and Raj Bhavan. I leave it to the people to decide what is right and what is wrong. The people of Karnataka will see through the evil designs of those who are upset with the progress and development achieved by me in the last two and half years.”
The Chief Minister who has the backing of the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party said: “No question of quitting office. I enjoy the support of the legislature party and the people. It is unfortunate that the Governor has taken the decision to accord sanction for prosecution, even before any preliminary enquiry or any opportunity to me in this case on a private individual's complaint. This is highly politically motivated and unconstitutional.”
Mr. Yeddyurappa said the Governor was carrying out his political agenda with his office. “I have neither seen a copy of the sanction order nor the complaint petition filed by some advocates seeking permission to prosecute. I have only seen the news in the media like any of you.
“The Governor, being a constitutional head of the State, has acted in an arbitrary and partisan manner giving the go-by to the principles of natural justice. He has not sought any opinion from the Council of Ministers or the Government on the complaint petition. There is no instance in judicial history of any arbitrary decision like this without recourse to an enquiry. I have full faith in the judicial system of this country and I will come out clean. From the beginning the Governor has been behaving in a biased manner ‘as agent of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular).'”
