"Will examine whether to approach the Supreme Court": Karnataka CM slams Governor for refusing customary address

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 22 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday strongly criticised Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for refusing to deliver the customary address to the Assembly, calling the move a "violation of the Constitution" and stating that the government is examining whether to approach the Supreme Court over the matter.
The Chief Minister's remarks came after the Governor walked out of the Assembly session, declining to read the address prepared by the Council of Ministers and instead delivering a speech drafted by himself.
Siddaramaiah said that the Governor's move violates Article 163 (a Council of Ministers, led by the Chief Minister, shall aid and advise the Governor, who must generally act on this advice except when exercising their specific discretionary powers) and Article 176 (the Governor must deliver a "Special Address" to the State Legislature at the start of the first session after each general election and at the beginning of the first session of every year).
"...Every new year, the Governor has to address the joint session of the Assembly, had the speech prepared by the Cabinet. This is a constitutional requirement. Today, instead of reading the speech prepared by the Cabinet, the Governor read the one he himself prepared. This is in violation of the Constitution of India. It violates Articles 176 and 163 of the Indian Constitution," the Chief Minister said.
"He has not discharged his duties as per the Constitution. Therefore, we are going to protest against the attitude of the Governor. We are examining whether or not to approach the Supreme Court," Siddaramaiah added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader BK Hariprasad, who attempted to stop the Governor at the assembly gate and demanded that he complete his address, accused the Governor of a constitutional breach and called it his "constitutional right to protest against him."
Speaking to the media, Hariprasad said, "The Governor has no business to reject the speech by the Cabinet. According to the Constitution, the governor has to address the joint session upon the request of the cabinet. The Governor rejected this, and hence we have the right to protest the breach of the Constitution," he said.
He further hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party for appointing governors who "humiliate the Chief Minister and the people of the state," and termed the behaviour "unacceptable."
"It has become a fashion for BJP-appointed governors to humiliate the CM and people who did not vote for them. Karnataka is a progressive and law-abiding state. The behaviour of these governors is unacceptable. We are here as the representatives of the state, and wherever the state is disrespected, it is our duty to protest. I have done it," he stated.
Reacting to the incident, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge questioned the rationale behind the Governor's move, asking whether "the Governor's office has become the BJP office."
"... Who is violating articles 176 and 163? All we have stated are facts in our governor's speech... There is not a single lie there, still the governor does not want to read it... Has the governor's office become the BJP office?...," Kharge stated.
He called the address, the constitutional duty of the Governor, stating that the speech comprised only matters of state interest, already presented before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Subsequently, State Law Minister HK Patil termed it "a black day in the history of democracy."
"A governor who is supposed to be the guardian of the Constitution has failed to do his duty. He is liable to address the joint session of the Assembly. He has insulted the Constitution. We will take an appropriate decision," Patil said.
Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, meanwhile, said that the Governors in states where the opposition (BJP) rules are "not behaving in accordance with the Constitutional norms", calling it "unfortunate."
He said, " If Governors are going to act like political agents, then do we even need to have this address?"
His remarks come as yesterday, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi walked out without delivering his address on the opening day of the first session of the Legislative Assembly. (ANI)