NEW DELHI: The elected government of Karnataka was dismissed and direct federal ruled imposed by President R. Venkatraman on April 21.
Home Minister Buta Singh announced this in the Lok Sabha. He said the proclamation was made on the recommendation of the Governor who was the opinion that the State government could not be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
He said that the Governor on his report on April 19 had said that eighteen members of the ruling Janata Dal and one member of the B.J.P. had withdrawn their support to the Janata Dal government.
This he said reduced the strength of the Janata Dal to a minority. He was of the opinion that no other party could form a government in the state and therefore direct federal rule needed to be imposed.
Congress I governments at the federal level have often used the governor’s office to dismiss opposition governments and this act of the Rajiv Regime was predictably decried by opposition leaders.
The Governor did not give the Opposition government time to prove their majority in the state assembly but dissolved the state assembly paving the way for fresh elections.
Governor’s Dismissal Sought Opposition members in the Lok Sabha demanded the dismissal of Karnataka Governor P. Venkatasubbiah for sending his report to the Centre without giving a chance to the Chief Minister Mr. S.R. Bommai to prove his majority on the floor of the House.
The protest culminated in a walkout by the entire Opposition with the exception for the members of the National Conference (F) the Muslims League and the lone Janata Party member, S. Shahabuddin.
Immediately after zero hour the leader of the Janata Dal Mr. Madhu Dandavate stood up to ask the Speaker about the fate of his motion demanding a debate on the role of the Karnataka Governor who had sent a one sided report to the Centre, Mr. Dandavate said Mr. Bommai had requested the Governor to convene the week long session of the State Assembly so that he could demonstrate his party majority on the floor of the House on April 27.
Initially the Speaker Mr. Bal Ram Jakhar expressed his ability to do anything in the matter but later ruled that he had no hesitation in admitting the motion. It was however for the House and the business advisory committee to decide when the motion should be taken up for discussion, Mr. Jakhar added.
Hundreds of demonstrations including B.J.P leader Madan Lal Khurana courted arrest at Patel Chowk on Saturday when the police tried to stop a protest march organized by the Janata Dal (JD) and the BJP against the Government’s withholding of part of the Thakkar Commission report and the imposition of President’s rule in Karnataka.
Demonstration in Delhi The rally was headed for the Boat Club and the demonstrators planned to stop at All India Radio and Doordarshan offices to protest against their pro-government Coverage. Some demonstrators burned mock TVs with the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s name written on the screen. However a police cordon at Patel chowk on Parliament Street prevented them from going any further and a scuffle followed. Most of the protesters then courted arrest.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 28, 1989
