Uma Bharati wants to resign as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. This is because a court in Karnataka issued a non bailable arrest warrant against her for inciting a communal riot.

My first reaction was – good. I am glad that politicians – no matter what their political affiliation might be – are behaving in an honourable manner. Good, I hope the UPA government follows suit and asks the dodgy ministers in its government to step down, pending investigation. And then I read the fine print.

Madam Bharati as usual has sent her resignation to the arch clown of Indian politics – BJP president Venkiah Naidu, as opposed to the Governor of the Stae. The last time she pulled this stunt was immediately after the general elections – when again she “resigned” and sent the papers to Naidu.

This resignation has no constitutional validity. As Chief Minister you report to the Governor, who reports to the President. As Chief Minister, if you are serious about resigning, you drive down to the Governors’ residence and put in the your papers along with that of your cabinet. You don’t go around making empty gestures of sending in resignations to party presidents. You may talk to them, take them into confidence, but you have to follow constitutional proprieties. But, then she belongs to the RSS sposnosored BJP – which has repeatedly shown contempt for the Consitution.

Now, in a modern Republic when the Constitution defines and embodies the State, can this contempt for the Constitution be deemed anti national?