BANGALORE: National opposition leaders, who addressed a public meeting here on April 22 to register their protest against the dismissal of the Bommai Government, declared a “holy war” against the Rajiv Gandhi Government and pledged to bring it down in the next Lok Sabha elections.

The leaders who included National Front Chairman N.T. Rama Rao, CPM politburo member Harkishan Singh Surjeet referred to the “humiliation” heaped on the people of Karnataka and asked them not to let the “undemocratic” central rule to continue for long. Janata Dal President V.P. Singh announced the decision of the opposition parties to observe a “black day’ and a protest against the dismissal of the democratically elected Karnataka government. He said when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visits Karnataka on April 27 he would have to walk on “blood-soaked bodies of people.” Janata Dal vice president Ramakrishna Hegde who gave the call for a holy war, said it was not because the opposition wanted power at the Centre, but because they wanted to preserve democracy in the country that the call was given. Mr. Rama Rao, who was undoubtedly the star attraction at the meeting strongly criticized the gubernatorial institution and the Congress Party. Speaking in chaste Telugu, he called the Karnataka Governor a “slave” of the Congress I who was a “stooge” to the doctoral and undemocratic designs of the Central Government. “Similar Fate” He recalled the fate that befell the Tehugu Desam Government headed by him in 1984 when he was unceremoniously dismissed. By Governor Ram Lal. We then came to Karnataka seeking help. Brother Hedge and Bommali took our MLAs into their fold. “Now during Karnataka’s hour of distress, I assured Mr, Bommai of the help of the people of Andhra Pradesh and the Telugu Desam Government, he said to repeated applause.

He said when democracy was being trampled upon. Constitution brazenly violated and the legacy of the freedom struggle wiped out “people will rise and teach a lesson to the dicators.”

Haryana Chief Minister Devi Lal said the Rajiv Government was a “rootless Government” and the National Front had been formed with the help of both leftist and rightist parties to “wipe it out.” He said it was no longer a legal or constitutional issue, but a “people’s fight.”

Mr. Kedarnath Sahani of the BJP said heavens wouldn’t have fallen if Mr. Bommai had been given four days to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly. But by dismissing his Government the people of Karnataka and the Constitution had been insulted.

Mr. Harshan Singh Suet of the CPM said the Centre had deliberately not given Mr. Bommai an opportunity to prove his majority and called ‘upon people of the state not to allow the Governor to function.

Mr. Somu of the DMK described the dismissal as another black day in Indian democracy and said Rajiv Gandhi who was unable to win any elections was trying to impose Congress rule through the backdoor.

Mr. V.P. Singh recalled the helplessness express by the President when the opposition met him and. said the Congress [had resorted to the short cut of imposing President’s rule to “kill the truth”.

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 28, 1989