Chhattisgarh Guv violating constitutional norms: Congress to Prez

Raipur, June 2: State Congress leadership has accused Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon of "violating Constitutional norms" by making statements which are "against the post he is holding", and complained to President Pranab Mukherjee.

The Opposition party has shot off a letter to the President alleging Tandon is making statements which are against traditions and decorum attached to the high Constitutional post he is holding.

In the letter, written by Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel, the party has requested Mukherjee to take appropriate action against Tandon.

Baghel said a Congress delegation had recently met the Governor to draw his attention to the violation of the rights of SC/STs and OBCs in the state due to some people taking quota benefits by submitting fake caste certificates.

The delegation had submitted a memorandum to the Governor and demanded action against such people, he said. A government statement later quoted the Governor as saying the delegation that the issue is an "internal" matter of Congress and it should be tackled by the party at its own level, the letter alleged.

Baghel said the issue raised by the Congress was administrative in nature and related to the state government.

The Congress leader also drew attention to an interview Tandon gave to a Hindi newspaper, where he was quoted as saying that the job of the Opposition is to level allegations.

The Governor is acting like a "spokesperson" for the government and giving statements which are in "violation of constitutional norms and propriety attached to his office", the letter said.

The main Opposition party had earlier accused the Governor of indulging in politics.

PTI