Need to revisit the practice of Governor's address to legislature, its relevance: BJP leader

Senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar on Friday said that there is a need to revisit the practice of Governors annual address to the state legislature, and its relevance today. He said, I feel that Karnataka should take a lead in ensuring a national debate on whether the practice of Governors address continue

Senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar on Friday said that there is a need to revisit the practice of Governor's annual address to the state legislature, and its relevance today. Terming the practice as ''colonial hangover'', he said, Karnataka should take a lead in ensuring a national debate on whether the practice should continue. He said this while participating in debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address in the Legislative Assembly. In a high drama at joint session of the state legislature on January 22, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had refused to read the government-prepared address and concluded his customary speech in just three lines, evoking a sharp reaction from the Congress government. The Governor had refused to deliver the customary address to the Karnataka legislature, taking exception to certain critical references to the Centre and its decision to ''repeal'' the UPA-era MGNREGA. ''The Governor addressing the joint session has become an annual exercise. The importance, purpose and sanctity of the Governor's address has vanished today. There have been 18 Governors in Karnataka so far since Jayachamarajendra Wodiyar, among them some people like Dharam Vira are still remembered, while few others are remembered for unwanted reasons, I don't want to detail it,'' Kumar said. The country adapted England's Westminster system, where the King or Queen addresses their Parliament, he said. ''But the architects of our constitution did not expect such a situation would arise where there will be conflict over the Governor's address, like they did not know about cyber crimes while framing Indian Penal Code (IPC),'' he added. Stating that he was sharing his personal opinion and it was not his party line, the BJP leader said, ''there is a need to revisit the practice of Governor's address. Should we continue with the Governor's address? Is it relevant today?'' ''We bring the Governor (to the Assembly), make him read the speech stating --My government. They (the government) present the address, we (opposition) condemn it. Ultimately disrespect is caused to the Governor's office,'' he added. Referring to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's statement that he would pursue a constitutional amendment to end the practice of Governor's address, Kumar said, Governor's office has its own respect. Rama Jois, who had served as judge of the Karnataka High Court, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Governor of Bihar and Jharkhand, had an opinion that the practice of Governor's address should end, Suresh Kumar said. He said, ''I feel that Karnataka should take a lead in ensuring a national debate on whether the practice of Governor's address continue? What would be its purpose if continued? What should the Governor be made to say in the address?'' Noting that the Governor's address should in fact speak about last one year's achievements of the government and outline its policy for the year ahead, the MLA said, but these days the Governor's address has ''political overtones''.

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