Centre using Governors to topple state governments: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Karnataka, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday alleged that the BJP-led Central government has been using the governors office to topple governments in various states.

"The Raj Bhawan (governors) were meant to be neutral and protect the democracy and rule of law. But in the past 4-5 years, they were used by the Centre in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Goa to topple the Congress or Congress majority government," said Azad.

"We are witnessing the same thing in Bengal, where the TMC leaders are being taken by the BJP. There are dozens of such examples in the period of 4-5 where the governments have been toppled by the government of India," the senior Congress leader added.

The 13-month old Congress-JDS government slumped into crisis following the resignation of 11 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Nabi was detained while protesting outside the Raj Bhawan in Bengaluru. The protest was held by Congress and the JDS against the alleged Central government's involvement in toppling the coalition government in the state.

JDS Chief HD Deve Gowda, as well as Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and KC Venugopal were also present at the protest site.