A day after the Congress urged him to sack Reddy brothers from the ministry for alleged income tax fraud, Governor H R Bhardwaj attacked the BJP

'Money laundering, tax evasion open in state'

A day after the Congress urged him to sack Reddy brothers from the ministry for alleged income tax fraud, Governor H R Bhardwaj attacked the BJP

Firing a fresh salvo against the BJP government in Karnataka, Governor H R Bhardwaj yesterday said money laundering and tax evasion goes on "openly in the state." "Now it is in the public domain. Openly money laundering is happening. Tax evasion is also happening. I have been writing about it," Bhardwaj, who often comes in conflict with the ruling BJP told reporters here.

Mind it: The Governor has been making relentless attacks on the state
government, incurring the wrath of the ruling party. File pic

His remarks came in response to a query on alleged tax evasion by ministers and mining magnates Janardhana and Karunakara Reddy, following Congress charge that Obulapuram Mining Company owned by them and their associate Health Minister B Sriramulu, evaded tax of more than Rs 86 crore.

Soft stance
On a private complaint submitted to him by two city-based advocates yesterday, seeking his sanction to prosecute Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, his two sons and cabinet colleagues under the Anti-Corruption Act, Bhardwaj said "It is a big volume. It is nearly 2,000 pages. I have to read through it."

On Yeddyurappa softening his stance about him and stating that he would meet him once in 15 days and take his suggestions, Bhardwaj smiled and said "I have come to know about it through the media. I welcome his statement. Whenever he meets me, we will discuss whatever he wants to."

'It's my duty'
To Yeddyurappa's statement that he would meet him on December 31 and invite him to address the joint session of the State Legislature commencing on January 6, Bhardwaj said "This is my constitutional duty. Whenever a joint session is called, Governor is bound to address it. I will do it."

"I have been doing my work firmly. You know I have been long in politics. I will not break law and norms. I am the head of the state and part of the Assembly. I will respect institutions as long as I am here. I will not allow violation of constitution and aberration of the rule of law. I have been enough as a minister. I have always been transparent, and intend to continue like that," he said.

Earlier describing Karnataka as a 'beautiful state with beautiful people' at the World Urdu Conference, he said "There is no problem here (Karnataka) except the problem of ruling."

Bhardwaj has been making relentless attacks on the BJP government almost on all major issues, incurring the wrath of the ruling party that has dubbed him a Congress agent and one who is behaving like an Opposition leader.