Our correspondent
BANGALORE: Karnataka Governor HR Bharadwaj on Sunday lambasted the BJP government in the state for launching a campaign against him on the issue of cow slaughter.
Talking to media persons here Bharadwaj said that Yeddyurappa government should refrain from teaching him about how to protect the animal as he himself was a Brahmin.
"I am a Brahmin. I need not learn from anybody to protect cow and other animals," said the governor.
He said that the government’s act which sought to ban cow slaughter, has covered the entire cattle population, including buffaloes. “I want the people to understand as it gave a totally new meaning to the Bill passed by the state legislature” he said.
Defending his action in referring the bill to the President, he said "if there was no problem, I would have given assent. If there is a problem it is referred to the President. There is no shortcut when it comes to Constitutional matters. If they want shortcut, I will not allow it."
Earlier former prime minister Deve Gowada also objected to the bill and met president to request to reject the Bill.
Bhardwaj, has come under repeated attacks from BJP for not giving his consent on the bill. The party termed him as congress stooge.
At a recent public rally in the city, former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu and Mr Ananth Kumar had also questioned his propriety in not giving assent to the cow slaughter Bill as over six states in the country had already enacted such a law. In addition, they claimed, even the Constitution of the country provided for it.
Meanwhile the state government is now trying to mollify Governor saying its campaign demanding assent to the Cow Slaughter Ban Bill was not directed against him but to create awareness.
"The agitations are not against the governor”Home Minister V S Acharya said.
