Bengaluru, Jan 21 (IANS) To cover up its “zero-development administration”, a series of corruption scams and administrative failures, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is misusing the Governor’s speech as a political weapon, alleged Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka.

In a press statement released on Wednesday, he said: “Governors are not spokespersons of the Congress government; they are protectors of the Constitution. By undermining their dignity, the Congress government is directly attacking the Constitution and the federal system.”

“Under Articles 175 and 176 of the Indian Constitution, Governors have clear authority to address the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. However, there is no rule in the Constitution, nor in the rules of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council, that Governors must compulsorily read every single word in the script prepared by the government,” Ashoka said.

Citing Article 163 of the Constitution, he said that while Governors generally act on the advice of the Council of Ministers, the Constitution grants them specific discretionary powers. If the government’s prepared speech contains objectionable, hateful or anti-Constitutional elements, it is the Governor’s constitutional right to omit reading them, he said.

“If the Congress has written a mandatory rule in its own constitution that Governors must voice the government’s bundle of lies, that’s a different matter. But there is no such provision in the Indian Constitution,” he said.

Describing Governors as an important constitutional bridge between the Centre and the states, Ashoka accused the Congress-led government of deliberately working to weaken that bridge.

Boycotting NITI Aayog meetings, staying away from GST Council meetings, and failing to effectively present the state’s interests before the Finance Commission — through these actions, the government is blocking the funds due to the state and then blaming the Centre, he alleged.

Ashoka claimed that since coming to power, the Siddaramaiah government has been projecting political conflicts as achievements rather than focusing on administration.

“Development works in the state have come to a halt. The government lacks funds to pay contractors,” he said.

The MUDA scam, Valmiki Corporation fund transfer, and 40 per cent commission allegations have exposed the government before the people, he alleged.

To divert public attention from these scams, he claimed, the government was dragging the Governor’s speech into controversy.

“An elected government has a mandate to serve the people, not the authority to force lies into the Governor’s mouth,” Ashoka said.

In matters like NEP cancellation, tax devolution and grants, the Congress-led government has included blatant lies in the Governor’s speech script, he alleged. Refusing to utter lies is the Governor’s paramount right, he said.

“This government stands on the brink of bankruptcy today. Without the face to go before the people, dragging the Governor’s high and honourable position into political tussles is an insult to the Constitution,” Ashoka warned.

The Governor’s use of discretionary powers is completely constitutional, he said, adding that the Congress government questioning this should first read and understand the Constitution.

–IANS

mka/pgh