Correspondence from govt to Guv only after Cabinet consent, govt tells CS, Secretaries
Bengaluru, Sep 26: Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday directed the Chief Secretary and the Secretaries that any correspondence from the government to the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot as sought by the latter, should be sent only after its consent.
"The Governor is repeatedly writing letters (to govt), in what seems to be a behaviour of impatience, seeking information with an instruction that they be sent immediately. After verifying all the rules the Cabinet has directed the Chief Secretary and Secretaries to place it before the Cabinet and to proceed further as per the decision of the cabinet, while sending any information to the Governor," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said it used to be routinely sent by the Chief Secretary earlier, but here on any correspondence between the government and the Governor on any of his queries, will be sent only after the Cabinet takes decision on it.
Citing the Governor's recent letter to the government, wanting to know how certain "confidential material" between Raj Bhavan and Lokayukta was leaked, the Minister said, "where were those papers and how they were leaked, it is for the Governor now to give permission for probe and pinpoint who are the people concerned in the Raj Bhavan itself."
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Alleging that the concerned documents were at the Raj Bhavan for months in violation of law, but the blame was put on the government, he said, "Day in and day out it is being told that the government is leaking the information, is the government responsible for the leakage of the information, for which the Governor is attacking the government (that it) has irresponsibly done it...?"
The Governor had written to the Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh August 28, expressing "perplexity", as to how the government came to know about the "confidential material" relating to Lokayukta's request to him seeking prosecution or investigation sanction against some opposition leaders.
In the letter to the Chief Secretary, the Governor had sought a prompt and early reply along with Cabinet note/supporting documents and the source of documents/ information in this regard.
An inquiry was conducted following the Governor's letter, Patil said, adding, on September six, the Director General of Police wrote a letter to the Raj Bhavan enclosing the report received from the in-charge Inspector General of Police, Special Investigation Team, Karnataka Lokayukta, for further necessary action and appropriate decision.
As per the report by the IG, SIT Lokayukta, he said, "the proposal and related documents (seeking sanction for prosecution against a few opposition leaders) were in Raj Bhavan secretariat from November 24, 2023 to August 8, 2024, for about ten months, which is in violation of Section 19 of Prevention of Corruption Act, which mandates that the decision regarding prosecution must be taken within a period of four months by the competent authority."
The documents were in possession of the Raj Bhavan Secretariat when reports regarding it appeared in the media, Patil, reading from the IG's letter, said: "....in order to unearth the point of leakage, it is necessary to probe the custody of documents in Raj Bhavan Secretariat in eight months...."
The letter by the IG then notes that the letter of the Special Secretary to the Governor (seeking certain clarification from Lokayukta) written on July 29, 2024 along with documents was received in SIT office on August 8 and it took ten days to reach SIT office in Bengaluru from Raj Bhavan Secretariat.
The possession and the custody of the documents during this period needs to be clarified, the IG in his letter has further said, adding, "the events from the creation of the letter on July 29 by the Special Secretary to the receipt of documents in the SIT office on August 8 needs to be probed into, to identify the point of leakage."
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
