Governor 'not happy' with chief minister's reply on Wakf row

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s reply to Governor Vajubhai Vala on not tabling the controversial report on Wakf property encroachment in the Legislative Council has not satisfied Raj Bhavan, say sources.

Vala had, on Monday, sought more clarifications and also advised the government that not tabling the report could lead to a constitutional crisis, the sources said.

In a 12-page letter to the governor, the chief minister strongly defended his government’s stand not to table the report on wakf property prepared by the Karnataka State Minority Commission in 2012, stating that the report had no legal sanctity. Besides, the Karnataka State Minority Commission Act only says that the recommendations of the panel be placed before the House, which the government had done, Siddaramaiah said. 

The Upper House witnessed a logjam for nearly four days in the recently concluded budget session over the issue of submitting the full report. Opposition parties, the BJP and the JD(S), which stalled the proceedings of the House demanding that the report be submitted in the House, accused the government of protecting Congress leaders whose names are mentioned as being involved in the wakf property encroachment.

But the government refused to budge from its stand despite the Council Chairman's ruling to submit the report in the House. Shankaramurthy later met the Governor and complained against the government in this regard. He had also sought his advice on the issue.