Denial of permission to meet Governor riles Deve Gowda

Former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Monday expressed displeasure with the Raj Bhavan staff and Governor Vajubhai Vala for not being allowed to meet Vala.

Gowda, along with JD(S) leaders, had gone on a padayatra till Raj Bhavan against the creation of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). However, after making him wait for 45 minutes, the Raj Bhavan officials refused permission to Gowda to meet the Governor, stating that the latter was taking rest.

Gowda said governors in the country come to Raj Bhavan to rest and relax and that it was a British colonial legacy which was being continued.

Earlier, Gowda, H D Kumaraswamy, Gowda’s son and state president of JD(S), along with legislators of the party took part in a padayatra from the Gandhi Statue near Anand Rao Circle to Freedom Park, a two-km stretch. Later, addressing a rally at Freedom Park, Gowda slammed the government’s move to create the ACB.

He said it was created only to protect the Congress government and its ministers. After the rally at the park, Gowda, along with his party leaders, reached Raj Bhavan. According to JD(S) leaders, Gowda had taken an appointment to meet the governor on April 3 itself.

Gowda said, “I tried to meet the governor to submit a memorandum on the need to abolish the ACB. However, we were told that the governor was resting and asleep. We were not allowed to enter the Raj Bhavan. The Aide-de-Camp (ADC) of the Governor told us that we had not taken prior appointment. The fact is that we had sent a letter to the Raj Bhavan on April 3 and I myself had called the ADC, seeking appointment.” Gowda said age could be the reason why the governor was ‘resting.’’

“However, I don’t think he is as old as me. By convention and precedence, declining audience to a former prime minister is unheard of,” Gowda said.