Hansraj Bhardwaj
Encyclopedia
Hansraj Bhardwaj is an India
n politician, currently serving as the Governor of Karnataka. He is a member of the Indian National Congress
. He holds the record of having the second longest tenure in Law Ministry since independence, after Ashoke Kumar Sen
. He was the minister of state for nine years and a cabinet minister for law and justice for five years. He has been accused of "petty politicking" as a loyalist of the Congress Party even when appointed to constitutional posts.
Having previously represented Madhya Pradesh
in the Rajya Sabha, Bhardwaj was instead elected to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana on March 20, 2006, without opposition.
A media shy minister, the old Gandhi family loyalist handled the most sensitive and controversial cases in the Manmohan Singh cabinet between 2004 and 2009.
From Bofors to office of profit and the failed attempt to remove Navin Chawla as election commissioner, were all deftly handled by the Congress veteran to the satisfaction of the Prime Minister and party leadership.
, an accused in the Bofors Scam case, who is seen as a close friend of Congress president Sonia Gandhi
. In particular, it appears he did not consult the investigating agency CBI
which had gotten the accounts frozen.
Bharadwaj also received lots of flak from public and media for his unceremonious, scathing personal attack on Mysore university vice-chancellor V G Talawar when the latter was initiating action against former vice-chancellor J Shashidhar Prasad. Prasad is accused of committing irregularities in the recruitment of around 200 professors and readers during his tenure between 2003 and 2007.
On January 21, 2011, Governor Bhardwaj sanctioned the prosecution of Chief Minister of Karnataka (Yeddyurappa)under Prevention of Corruption Act, following several allegations of his involvement in land scams.
On February 7, 2011, Bharadwaj withheld the approval of honorary doctorate by the Bangalore University
to noted historian and Kannada writer M. Chidananda Murthy
. Chidananda Murthy had backed justice BK Somasekhara Commission’s report on church attacks in Karnataka in 2008. Bharadwaj was criticised by the entire literary community of Kannada including Jnanpith awardee Prof U. R. Ananthamurthy
. Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana
2011, held in Bangalore, adopted a resolution to “condemn” the Governor's decision. Taking note of this, Bharadwaj agreed to give his approval.
In May 2011, Bhardwaj recommended President's rule in Karnataka, without giving the BJP government an opportunity to prove its majority in the house, a move that was widely criticized as partisan.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician, currently serving as the Governor of Karnataka. He is a member of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. He holds the record of having the second longest tenure in Law Ministry since independence, after Ashoke Kumar Sen
Ashoke Kumar Sen
Ashoke Kumar Sen was an Indian barrister, a former Cabinet minister of India, and an Indian parliamentarian....
. He was the minister of state for nine years and a cabinet minister for law and justice for five years. He has been accused of "petty politicking" as a loyalist of the Congress Party even when appointed to constitutional posts.
Political career
Bhardwaj was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 1982. He served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice from December 31, 1984 to November 1989 and was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 1988. He was then Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Planning and Programme Implementation from June 21, 1991 to July 2, 1992 and Minister of State in the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs from July 3, 1992 to May 1996. He was again re-elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 1994 and April 2000, and from May 22, 2004 to May 28, 2009 he served as Union Cabinet Minister of Law and Justice.Having previously represented Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
in the Rajya Sabha, Bhardwaj was instead elected to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana on March 20, 2006, without opposition.
Political deftness
Bhardwaj introduced the concept of rural courts (gram nyayalayas) during the UPA-I government.A media shy minister, the old Gandhi family loyalist handled the most sensitive and controversial cases in the Manmohan Singh cabinet between 2004 and 2009.
From Bofors to office of profit and the failed attempt to remove Navin Chawla as election commissioner, were all deftly handled by the Congress veteran to the satisfaction of the Prime Minister and party leadership.
Bofors scandal
In March 2009, H R Bharadwaj was criticized for taking the initiative to de-freeze two bank accounts of Ottavio QuattrocchiOttavio Quattrocchi
Ottavio Quattrocchi is an Italian businessman who was being sought until early 2009 in India for criminal charges for acting as a conduit for bribes in the Bofors scandal....
, an accused in the Bofors Scam case, who is seen as a close friend of Congress president Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
. In particular, it appears he did not consult the investigating agency CBI
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
which had gotten the accounts frozen.
As Governor of Karnataka
In July 2010, his comments on the powerful Bellary brothers, ministers in the B.S. Yeddyurappa government, particularly demanding their sacking for their alleged involvement in illegal mining generated a national debate. This was preceded by Bhardwaj rejecting the resignation of Lokayukta, Justice HegdeBharadwaj also received lots of flak from public and media for his unceremonious, scathing personal attack on Mysore university vice-chancellor V G Talawar when the latter was initiating action against former vice-chancellor J Shashidhar Prasad. Prasad is accused of committing irregularities in the recruitment of around 200 professors and readers during his tenure between 2003 and 2007.
On January 21, 2011, Governor Bhardwaj sanctioned the prosecution of Chief Minister of Karnataka (Yeddyurappa)under Prevention of Corruption Act, following several allegations of his involvement in land scams.
On February 7, 2011, Bharadwaj withheld the approval of honorary doctorate by the Bangalore University
Bangalore University
Bangalore University is a public university located in Bangalore, Karnataka State, India. The university is one of the oldest in India, dating back to 1886...
to noted historian and Kannada writer M. Chidananda Murthy
M. Chidananda Murthy
M. Chidananda Murthy is a Kannada writer, researcher and historian. movement. He is a wellknown scholar in Karnataka specializing in the history of Kannada language and ancient Karnataka. He is also known for his campaign to conserve the monuments Hampi and to secure classical language status...
. Chidananda Murthy had backed justice BK Somasekhara Commission’s report on church attacks in Karnataka in 2008. Bharadwaj was criticised by the entire literary community of Kannada including Jnanpith awardee Prof U. R. Ananthamurthy
U. R. Ananthamurthy
Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy is a contemporary writer and critic in the Kannada language and is considered as one of the pioneers of the Navya movement. He is well known among Indian authors. He is the sixth person among eight recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language, the...
. Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana
Kannada Sahitya Sammelana
Kannada Sahitya Sammelana is the premier gathering of writers, poets and kannadigas. It is held with the aim of preserving and developing Kannada language, its literature, arts, culture and music. It was started in 1915 and held at Bangalore for the first time. It used to be inaugurated by...
2011, held in Bangalore, adopted a resolution to “condemn” the Governor's decision. Taking note of this, Bharadwaj agreed to give his approval.
In May 2011, Bhardwaj recommended President's rule in Karnataka, without giving the BJP government an opportunity to prove its majority in the house, a move that was widely criticized as partisan.