On Saturday, Opposition Leader R. Ashoka in Karnataka said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should show respect toward Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
Referring to the bill on Muzarai department, he commented at the state-level BJP membership campaign workshop held here at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, "When Governor returns a bill, it is the responsibility of the government to clarify and solve the matter." He expounded on the fact that the state government has introduced many bills, one of which concerns the Muzarai department. "If this bill comes into act, it may become a burden on Hindu temples," Ashoka said.
He said many people have brought the Governor's attention to these issues and hence, he is seeking clarifications. Ashoka added that the Governor can recommend the merits and demerits of any bill. He said that during the BJP's tenure, the then-Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj had sent back many bills and the party did not oppose it.
Ashoka dismissed the charge that the Raj Bhavan is a BJP office as "outdated." He said the government should spell out things to the Governor, and if that duty is not discharged, it amounts to a discredit of the government and not of the Governor. He called upon Siddaramaiah to learn to respect the Governor rather than find fault with him for the failures of the government.
Ashoka dismissed allegations that the BJP was trying to destabilize the Congress government. "The BJP has never tried to topple any government," he said. Ashoka, instead pointed out that there is internal competition within the Congress regarding the Chief Minister's post. Names that are doing rounds are D.K. Shivakumar, Mallikarjun Kharge and G. Parameshwara.
A day after the Lok Sabha elections, Ashoka slammed Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's statement and said that he had denigrated the electorate, rubbishing their "sense." He had argued that Congress has no moral authority to criticize people of Bengaluru and that drinking water is the duty of the government to provide. Ashoka called for an apology from Congress over its remarks.
He also accused the Congress of having done little to save Hindus in the State and referred to the statement made by MLA Ivan D'Souza that Hindus might have to face the same fate as that in Bangladesh.
