Direct govt to table Wakf report, Opposition urges Governor

Stepping up the pressure on the ruling party over the controversial Wakf property encroachment report, the Opposition in the Legislative Council on Tuesday urged Governor Vajubhai Vala to direct the government to immediately table the report in the House.

The BJP and the JD(S) MLCs, led by their leaders K S Eshwarappa and Basavaraj Horatti, respectively, submitted a memorandum to the governor seeking his intervention to end the stalemate in the Upper House on the issue. Except passing four bills that were already passed in the Assembly, the Council could not transact business for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as the Opposition continued its protest demanding that the government table the report prepared by the State Minorities Commission, also called the Manipaddy report, in the House.

“This government has ridiculed and made a mockery of democracy by blatantly disobeying the rulings of the Chair to protect and safeguard many of the Congress leaders and corrupt officials of the Wakf Board who have indulged in the illegal disposal of Wakf property to the extent of 57,000 acres worth Rs 2.3 lakh crore,” the memorandum stated.

It further stated that the then chairman of the Commission had revealed the names of many senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, N Dharam Singh, Jaffer Sharief, Rahman Khan, C M Ibrahim, Qamarul Islam and Roshan Baig as either directly involved in the encroachment of Wakf properties or being indirect beneficiaries.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the governor, Eshwarappa said the governor expressed shock at the government’s stand.

“The government has created a constitutional crisis by not submitting the report. We have explained in detail how the government is trying to protect the corrupt Congress leaders who have encroached upon the Wakf properties. The governor has already sought an explanation from the government on the issue. The BJP and the JD(S) will continue to stage protests in the Council till the report is submitted,”
 he added.

When contacted by this newspaper, Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy said he had been trying to convince leaders of both sides to end the logjam and allow him to run the House.

“I have requested the governor to advice me on dealing with the situation. The governor’s office had sought a copy of the rules of procedure followed in running the House and we have provided it,” he added.

What happens to money bill....
The government has to table the crucial appropriation bill or the money bill and all other consequential bills related to the 2016-17 budget in the Council. But the Upper House will have only 14 days time to either give its approval or reject them. If the Council fails to take up any discussion on these bills, due to the stalemate, the government can directly send them to the governor seeking his assent after getting them passed for the second time in the Assembly, official sources said. The Assembly is scheduled to pass the money bill after the chief minister’s reply on the discussion on budget.

Legal opinion
According to former Advocate General of Karnataka, Ashok Haranahalli, the government has no option but to submit the report following the Chairman’s ruling. The government cannot cite any law for not submitting the report when both the Chairman and the majority of the lawmakers want to see the report. Submitting the report is perhaps the only way to end this deadlock, he added.