Karnataka govt preps for legal showdown as Governor Gehlot refuses to address joint session over MGNREGA

The legislature session has been convened expressly to discuss the repeal of MGNREGA, and the ruling Congress govt in state is likely to attack the Centre over the VB-G RAM (G) Act.

Bengaluru: In an unprecedented confrontation Wednesday, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot refused to address the joint session of the legislature Thursday if 11 paragraphs of the speech drafted by the Congress government, which contain criticism against the Modi administration, are not dropped.

The legislature session has been convened expressly to discuss the repeal of MGNREGA, and the governing Congress is likely to attack the Centre over the VB-G RAM (G) Act.

Late on Wednesday night, the state government agreed to only remove two sentences critical of VB-G RAM (G) Act.

Sources also said that Advocate-General Shashi Kiran Shetty left for New Delhi, signalling a potential legal battle if Gehlot does not turn up for the joint session.

This confrontation came a day after Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi walked out of the Assembly without reading his speech, while his Kerala counterpart Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was accused of skipping certain parts that were critical of the union government.

Gehlot's refusal to address the session prompted Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil to rush to Lok Bhavan.

"He [Governor] has suggested that we drop 11 paragraphs. We will naturally discuss some modifications in such situations. However, it will be opposite to the decisions of the government to drop any paragraph. We didn’t feel it was appropriate to drop some paragraphs,” Patil told reporters.

Patil explained that the 11 paragraphs relate to the restoring of MGNREGA, Centre-State relations, the “injustice” faced by Karnataka to the union government's policies, losses caused in devolution under the 15th Finance Commission and so on.

“We have to at least subtly show the problems with the injustices in the 15th commission, right? Shouldn’t we raise our voice against the VB-G RAM (G) Act, which replaced MGNREGA and took away the right to work? Our panchayats used to decide what work had to be done. That right has been taken away and the power has been centralised and kept in Delhi. How is it right to say we shouldn’t speak against it through the Governor?” Patil argued.

Patil pointed out that Constitution Articles 176(1) and 163 mandate the Governor to read out the speech prepared by the Cabinet.

Later, Patil met Siddaramaiah and it was decided that the 11 paragraphs cannot be summarily dropped, except for two sentences.

Slamming the Congress, Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said Governors are not spokespersons of the government.

"Under Articles 175 and 176, Governors can address the legislature. However, there's no rule that Governors must compulsorily read every single word in the script prepared by the government," Ashoka argued. "If Congress has written a mandatory rule in its own Constitution that Governors must voice the government's bundle of lies, that's a different matter. But there's no such provision in the Indian Constitution."