Do not insult the constitution
In the recent past, some esteemed Judges had cautioned against the subverting of constitution and the powers granted by the constitution. They had felt ever since BJP came to power in the centre, democracy was under threat. Extra constitutional powers were constantly attempting to destabilize the democracy and democratic institutions. Today, assembly elections in Karnataka are a big example of this subversion in progress. It is no secret that the raids conducted in the run up to the elections using IT and other agencies were done for political reasons. Even after all this, BJP didn’t get a full majority, but had to be satisfied with 104 seats, at least nine seats short of the majority. Now the governor Vajubhai Vala has invited B S Yeddyurappa, the Karnataka leader of this party to form the government. This has obviously created anxiety among activists who fight to retain the spirit of democracy. Opinions that governor’s decision to allow one party to form the government and then take time or be given time to prove majority on the floor will give rise to ‘horse trading’ are not too far from the truth either. HD Kumaraswamy of JD(S) has already said his party members are being offered Rs 100 crore to defect and join the BJP.
One interpretation is that BJP legislative party leader BS Yeddyurappa is being invited to form the government against the people’s mandate since the party did not get absolute majority. This morning he may even take oath to the office of the Chief Minister of Karnataka. If this happens, it would create a very bad precedence. The governor may claim he invited the single largest party to form the government with 104 members. If this was the case, why was it not followed in the case of Goa which has 40 seats where Congress was in majority with 17 members over the BJP and its allies? When this matter was taken to the Supreme Court, even the court upheld the decision of the governor. The same case repeated in Manipur where Cong emerged as the single largest party. BJP with just two members was allowed to form the government with allies. Meghalaya too favoured Congress with 21 seats, but the party was denied the opportunity to form the government. BJP and allies formed the government there too. Union minister Jaitley said this was a constitutionally appropriate measure. Same thing repeated in Nagaland too where Cong emerged as the biggest party but was denied the opportunity to form the government. But one needs to know why the same rule cannot be applied in Karnataka too? JD(S) and Congress together have submitted a list of MLAs in their support to the governor, to stake claim to form a government. Governor needs to give them an opportunity to show solidarity at least. But then this is not being done.
Elected governments have to be formed under the very rules laid down by the constitution. But the happenings after the conclusion of assembly elections in Karnataka are quite appalling. The person who occupies the chair of a prime minister says he would not allow the JD(S) and Congress to form the government. This amounts to directly influencing the governor who has invited the party without majority to form the government. All these aspects do not hold up the spirit of democracy. The governor is not concerned about how the leader of this party would even prove majority on the floor later. Because there are not too many independent MLAs in Karnataka at the moment except for one and that number is not sufficient to achieve majority.
Now horse trading will have to be done between JD(S) and Congress MLAs. This move by the governor will give rise to all probabilities of this happening. Amit Shah is in Karnataka to achieve this very goal. Though no party has got absolute majority, nearly 64% of the voters have favoured secular parties. BJP could secure only 36.2% votes among the ones polled. Now when secular forces have come together to form the government, the governor should allow this to happen acting in the spirit of democracy. But the governor Vajubhai Vala comes from the Sangh Parivar background and was a minister in PM Narendra Modi’s government. But whatever be his history, he has to be impartial when he sits in the office of the governor. There are many examples on how a governor should take decisions in political situations like this. In 1998 when a similar situation had arisen, President K R Narayanan had allowed time to Atal Behari Vajpayee’s government to prove majority on the floor. Then the BJP had accepted this. Even now, the same parameter must be followed, Kumaraswamy and his allies should be allowed to form the government. Else, he would be committing a major blunder on this matter and would be failing the constitution as well as democracy.
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Trouble ‘Miyas’ everywhere only then they will leave Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Says “Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP are openly against them, we are saying it openly
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that four to five lakh “Miya voters” would be removed from the electoral rolls in the state once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is carried out. He also made a series of controversial remarks openly targeting the Miya community, a term commonly used in Assam in a derogatory sense to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in Digboi in Tinsukia district, Sarma said it was his responsibility to create difficulties for the Miya community and claimed that both he and the BJP were “directly against Miyas”.
“Four to five lakh Miya votes will have to be deleted in Assam when the SIR happens,” Sarma said, adding that such voters “should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh”. He asserted that the government was ensuring that they would not be able to vote in the state.
The chief minister was responding to questions about notices issued to thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims during the claims and objections phase of the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam. While the Election Commission is conducting SIR exercises in 12 states and Union Territories, Assam is currently undergoing an SR, which is usually meant for routine updates.
Calling the current SR “preliminary”, Sarma said that a full-fledged SIR in Assam would lead to large-scale deletion of Miya voters. He said he was unconcerned about criticism from opposition parties over the issue.
“Let the Congress abuse me as much as they want. My job is to make the Miya people suffer,” Sarma said. He claimed that complaints filed against members of the community were done on his instructions and that he had encouraged BJP workers to keep filing complaints.
“I have told people wherever possible they should fill Form 7 so that they have to run around a little and are troubled,” he said, adding that such actions were meant to send a message that “the Assamese people are still living”.
In remarks that drew further outrage, Sarma urged people to trouble members of the Miya community in everyday life, claiming that “only if they face troubles will they leave Assam”. He also accused the media of sympathising with the community and warned journalists against such coverage.
“So you all should also trouble, and you should not do news that sympathise with them. There will be love jihad in your own house.” He said.
The comments triggered reactions from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the people of Assam had not elected Sarma to keep one community under constant pressure. Congress leader Aman Wadud accused the chief minister of rendering the Constitution meaningless in the state, saying his remarks showed a complete disregard for constitutional values.
According to the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, Assam currently has 2.51 crore voters. Election officials said 4.78 lakh names were marked as deceased, 5.23 lakh as having shifted, and 53,619 duplicate entries were removed during the revision process. Authorities also claimed that verification had been completed for over 61 lakh households.
On January 25, six opposition parties the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer. They alleged widespread legal violations, political interference and selective targeting of genuine voters during the SR exercise, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful and unconstitutional.
