Hans Raj Bhardwaj Hans Raj Bhardwaj

At a time when the Congress is targeting the BJP-led government at the Centre for imposing President’s Rule in Uttarakhand and earlier in Arunachal Pradesh, H R Bhardwaj, who was law minister in the UPA-I government, has said that the Congress leadership wanted to dismiss the then Mulayam Singh government in Uttar Pradesh in 2007 over alleged corruption, but he did not agree.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Bhardwaj said he was “eased out” because he “did not toe the Congress line” on “several matters” — particularly on UP and the 2G spectrum allocation. Bhardwaj was not included in the UPA-II Cabinet — he was made Karnataka Governor instead.

An old Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, Bhardwaj is upset because he has been sidelined by the Congress. The party has not rehabilitated him politically after his return from Karnataka. He does not consider himself a Congressman now.

Asked about the Congress’s charge that the BJP government was misusing Article 356, Bhardwaj said President’s Rule was imposed in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand because of defection in the Congress.

“Once the chief minister goes into minority, he has to prove his majority. But in the meantime, the Speaker disqualifies the MLAs who have gone against the CM. So the floor test is frustrated by them. This has happened. What should the Governor do? The Governor has to report that this is the situation,” he said.

He said the Congress had also misused Article 356 in the past and cited the UPA-I government’s decision to dissolve the Bihar assembly following a midnight decision by the cabinet on May 23, 2005. The matter went to the Supreme Court, which held that the dissolution was unconstitutional.

Bhardwaj said the Congress leadership also wanted to dismiss the then Mulayam government in Uttar Pradesh. “Mulayam was continuously under pressure of dismissal over alleged corruption. I advised the government that his government could not be dismissed only on the ground of corruption. So long as they were in majority, they would have to be challenged on the floor of the House. But the Congress was not convinced. And this became a controversy,” he said.

He said the “core group” in the party was keen to dismiss the Mulayam government. “Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) was in two minds. Other members… they all recommended that there was ground to impose President’s Rule, but I differed openly,” he said.

The Mulayam government was not dismissed.

“I never agreed because he (Mulayam) was in majority… I categorically said in the presence of five-six senior ministers of the Congress — there was Sonia (Gandhi), Pranab (Mukherjee), Shivraj Patil, PM, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal… I stood my ground that he could not be dismissed,” he said.

“I said I am the law minister, how can you consult other ministers? My view was that there was no case for President’s Rule and the PM agreed,” he said, adding that the main reason for wanting to sack the government was political.

“There was no question of SP supporting the Congress. He (Mulayam) fell out with the Congress during the presidential election… He was not toeing the Congress line… I know that the Governor of UP had only recommended verbally that he could be dismissed, but no report was sent. They were ready to go by that,” he said.

“They wanted my clearance… I said nobody could dismiss him. Even today, I maintain that no government can be dismissed on corruption charges. You can prosecute a chief minister and the Governor can grant sanction. In (B S) Yeddyurappa’s case, I did that. But I did not dismiss his government,” he said.

Bhardwaj said he knew he would be eased out because of his stand on the Mulayam issue.

“I was eased out for several reasons… 2G was one thing… When 2G (allocation) was decided, I had, in writing, opposed it. We had written on the file that the minister should not be allowed to do like this. It should be done in a transparent manner. The law secretary gave that opinion and I endorsed it,” he said.

“But the minister at that time (Raja) insisted that he would follow his own method. It became controversial and (there was) loss of revenue and loss of face for Congress,” he said.

“I was a minister of the central government and whatever (my opinion) on 2G, I recorded on the file. After that, I was never consulted… Later, it was defended in Parliament by those who said there was zero loss… I had basic differences with the Congress and the PM knew it. He suggested that I should resign (from Rajya Sabha) and go as Governor,” said Bhardwaj.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.