Govt examining on Governor writing letters seeking reports on ‘trivial matters’: CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot is writing letters seeking reports on “trivial matters”, and the state government was examining them.

Hitting back at the BJP, by questioning their inaction while in power in connection with Justice H S Kempanna Commission’s report on the alleged Arkavathy Layout scam, he said the government will take a decision on the report, after considering various aspects in connection with it.

The Governor has written to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh seeking a copy of the Kempanna Commission’s report and other related information into the alleged Arkavathy Layout denotification scam, in which Siddaramaiah was accused of denotifying land during his first term.

“I don’t know, I will look into it. The BJP was there (in power) for four years. Why didn’t they do it? They were in power, why didn’t they place it (report) before the Assembly? Now C T Ravi (BJP MLC) has written a letter (to Governor). He was a minister (in BJP govt). Why didn’t they do it then? I had said to do it,” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question about the Arkavathy Layout case.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, “Do you know what has happened now? There was a Keshavanarayana headed committee (that was formed) on it, all these things needed to be looked into. After looking into it, we will take a decision.” C T Ravi had recently written to the Governor asking him to get Siddaramaiah to make Justice Kempanna’s report public.

The Justice Kempanna Commission was constituted in 2014 during Siddaramaiah’s first stint as the chief minister following allegations of illegality. The Commission’s report was submitted in 2017, when Siddaramaiah was still the CM, but was not made public.

Asked whether the government is thinking about complaining to the President against the Governor, the CM said, “No, we are examining. The Governor (is writing letters seeking reports) on small matters.”

“Someone has given a complaint. I’m telling you just like that, someone from Mysuru has complained that I used to always sign in Kannada, but has (in some document) signed in English, so please inquire into it. Is it an issue? I can sign in English or Kannada. Anyone can sign in whichever language they want,” he said.

“I normally sign in Kannada to drafts that are in Kannada. The drafts that are in English that are normally (letters) to other states or the Central government, I sign in English. What’s wrong with it? Is it wrong according to you? Even on such trivial matters, if reports are sought (by the Governor)? You tell me…” he said.