BJP demands recall of Karnataka Governor

"After the landmark judgement of the Karnataka High Court upholding the Speaker's decision, the Governor should have submitted his resignation and left the state which he did not do," BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said here.

"The Governor's credibility has further suffered and the institution of the Governor has come under cloud...further continuance of defamed Governor will add shame to the exalted office of Governor," Naidu said in a statement.

He said despite assurance by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to look into the complaints by a BJP delegation against Bhardwaj, no action has so far been taken. "The BJP, therefore, once again urges upon the Prime Minister and the UPA Government to take immediate steps to recall the Governor."

The role and conduct of Bhardwaj has again brought to focus the need for wider debate to discuss and arrive at early conclusions to cleanse the system of appointment and functioning of the Governors, Naidu said.

"The Sarkaria Commission has clearly listed the reasons for defaming of the institution of Governor. The recommendations of the Commission need to be discussed and corrective actions taken at the earliest. The caliber, knowledge and commitment to the Constitution, independentness are the basic criteria for the selection of Governor," he said.

"Unfortunately, over the years the Congress party has given a go by to all these principles disregarding the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission, Sarkaria Committee recommendations and also the Constitutional Review Commission presided over by Justice M N Venkatachaliah," the BJP leader alleged.

He recalled that the Committee had recommended that people who are not actively engaged in politics should be selected as Governors.

"But everybody knows the background of the present Governor of Karnataka and the way he behaved right from the emergency days, his recent declaration that he is a Congressman and that he is proud to say that he is a Congress man," Naidu added.