A delegation of the opposition BJP met Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday and accused Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the ruling Congress of creating an "atmosphere of anarchy" in the state.
The Rajasthan BJP also submitted a memorandum to Mishra saying the "Chief Minister's threat suggesting 'gherao' of Raj Bhavan and expressing an inability of ensuring security is a clear violation under IPC Section 124". The BJP said the comment was an attempt to "terrorise" the governor's office.
This section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relates to punishment for assaulting President or Governor with an intent to compel or restrain the exercise of a lawful power.
The statement that the party was referring to was issued by Gehlot on Friday, where he said that if the Raj Bhavan is gheraoed by the people of the state, it is not his responsibility. Later, Congress MLAs loyal to him camped at the Governor's House, raising slogans and protesting.
Earlier in the day, Gehlot had claimed that the governor is facing pressure "from above" to stall the assembly from meeting, hinting at the alleged involvement of the BJP government at the Centre in the tussle for power in the state.
Led by party state president Satish Poonia, the 15-member BJP delegation handed over a memorandum to the governor. It said the sit-in and slogan shouting by Congress MLAs were also attempts to "terrorise constitutional institutions".
"The drama which happened yesterday in the name of constitutional right was unfortunate. The note which was sent by the government to the governor for calling the assembly session had no agenda," Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria said, adding demonstrations held by the Congress on Saturday against the BJP were the ruling party's way to build pressure on the governor to call an assembly session.
"It is the right of the cabinet to send a note to the governor for calling an assembly session but creating pressure to get it done immediately is the peak of violation of constitutional values," he added.
The Congress ended its sit-in after five hours after getting an assurance from the governor that he will go by the constitutional provisions on summoning an assembly session.
Kataria also demanded Gehlot's resignation. Asked if the BJP had sought President's rule in the state, he said no such demand was raised.
Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore asked what was the urgency to convene an assembly session at a time when there are nearly 35,000 COVID-19 cases in the state.
"They have created an atmosphere of anarchy in the state," he said, adding the BJP did not seek a floor test in the assembly.
The BJP also discussed with the governor the spread of coronavirus in the state, Poonia said. "We gave the memorandum to the governor and said that there is a need to control the spread of coronavirus," he said.
Comments
0 comment