Yeddyurappa accuses Bhardwaj of bias over plea for prosecution

BANGALORE - Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa Thursday accused Governor H.R. Bhardwaj of being biased against him over the plea to sanction prosecution of the chief minister over alleged land scams.

Strongly protesting against Bhardwaj’s remark of ‘ulta chor kotwal ko dante (it is like a thief reprimanding police) earlier Thursday, Yeddyurappa said by such statements the governor had lowered “the dignity of the chief minister, the entire cabinet and thereby voters of Karnataka”.

Bhardwaj’s remark came in response to questions by reporters about Wednesday’s Yeddyrappa’s letter and cabinet resolution expressing doubts whether the governor would be “fair and judicious” while deciding on the plea for sanction.

“Your excellency has again made sweeping and highly biased statements in the media,” Yeddyurappa said in a letter to Bhardwaj late Thursday. The second from Yeddyurappa to Bhardwaj in two days, its copies were released to the media by the chief minister’s office.

Yeddyurappa said such statements “does not inspire confidence that a decision by you on this subject would be unbiased, fair and judicious”.

“On the other hand it is now patently clear that you have adopted a biased attitude,” Yeddyurappa charged.

“Perhaps, this is in line with your political affiliation and inclination to unduly embarrass the government,” the chief minister alleged.

Yeddyurappa said that through the letter he was formally recording his protest “against prejudging the issue” and urged Bhardwaj to refrain from considering the plea for sanction “in view of your continued bias in this matter”.

Bhardwaj had said earlier Thursday he would give his decision in two days on the plea of two Bangalore advocates to accord sanction to prosecute Yeddyurappa as well as state Home Minister R. Ashoka.

Within hours of Bhardwaj’s sarcastic comment, eight ministers held a press meet to criticise the governor.

“This is a clear case of prejudged mindset occupying the highest position in the state,” Law Minister S.Suresh Kumar told reporters. “Bhardwaj has written a new chapter by announcing the verdict before verifying the evidence,” Higher Education Minister V.S. Acharya said.

The ministers rebutted Bhardwaj’s statement that he was yet to get the documents he had sought from the government.

They said 80 documents out of 93 sought by Bhardwaj had already been given to him and the rest would be sent later Thursday. The documents were delivered to Raj Bhavan in batches on Jan 11, 14, 16 and 17, they asserted.