Bengaluru, Jan 21 (NationPress) In an effort to mask its “zero-development administration”, along with a slew of corruption scandals and administrative shortcomings, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is allegedly exploiting the Governor’s address as a political tool, according to R. Ashoka, the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.

In a statement made available on Wednesday, he remarked: “Governors are not mere mouthpieces for the Congress government; they serve as guardians of the Constitution. By compromising their dignity, the Congress regime is directly assaulting the Constitution and the federal structure of our country.”

“As outlined in Articles 175 and 176 of the Indian Constitution, Governors possess the clear authority to address both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. However, there exists no constitutional mandate, nor any rule within the Legislative Assembly or Council, that obliges Governors to read verbatim from the script prepared by the government,” Ashoka stated.

Referring to Article 163, he mentioned that while Governors typically act on the advice of the Council of Ministers, the Constitution does grant them certain discretionary powers. Should the government’s prepared speech include any objectionable, hateful, or anti-constitutional content, it is within the Governor’s constitutional rights to refrain from reading it, he asserted.

“If the Congress party has inscribed a mandatory rule in its internal constitution stating that Governors must echo the government’s bundle of lies, that's a separate issue. However, the Indian Constitution contains no such stipulation,” he said.

Characterizing Governors as a crucial constitutional link between the Centre and the states, Ashoka accused the Congress-led government of intentionally attempting to weaken this relationship.

By opting out of NITI Aayog meetings, abstaining from GST Council discussions, and inadequately representing the state's interests before the Finance Commission, the government is obstructing the funds rightfully owed to the state, while shifting the blame onto the Centre, he claimed.

Ashoka asserted that since the Siddaramaiah government took office, it has been portraying political conflicts as achievements instead of prioritizing effective administration.

“Development initiatives in the state have stalled. The government lacks the resources to compensate contractors,” he stated.

The MUDA scam, Valmiki Corporation fund transfer, and allegations of a 40% commission have unveiled the government's shortcomings before the public, he contended.

To distract the public from these scandals, he claimed the government has embroiled the Governor’s address in controversy.

“An elected government has a duty to serve the populace, not the power to impose falsehoods upon the Governor,” Ashoka remarked.

In issues concerning NEP cancellation, tax devolution, and grants, the Congress-led government has incorporated blatant falsehoods into the Governor’s speech script, he alleged. The Governor's right to refuse to disclose lies is paramount, he added.

“This government is currently teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. With no face to present to the citizens, dragging the Governor’s esteemed position into political disputes is a profound insult to the Constitution,” Ashoka cautioned.

The exercise of discretionary powers by the Governor is entirely constitutional, he indicated, urging the Congress government to first read and comprehend the Constitution before questioning it.