The Centre today said the Karnataka Government cannot standby when there are acts of violence and the law and order is disrupted by party cadres. Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the state government is obliged to maintain law and order. Taking note of the developments in Karnataka ,he asked Home Secretary, G.K. Pillai to speak to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police in Karnataka on the development. Expressing disappointment that the BJP has taken to the streets, the Home Minister said that this is not correct and it is totally unacceptable . He hoped that the BJP will advise its state units to abide by law and the Karnataka government to discharge its constitutional obligation. Setting out the constituional and legal position, Chidambaram said that this is not the first time that a Governor has given sanction to prosecute a Chief Minister or a Minister of a state government . He said that law in this respects is clear and well settled. He drew the attention of BJP to the observation by the Lok Ayukta of Karnataka Justice Santosh Hegde that the Governor had the jurisdiction to grant sanction for prosecution. Quoting from a judgement of an earlier case, the Home Minister said that the then Governor of Madhya Pradesh had over ruled the advice of the cabinet and granted sanction to prosecute two Ministers and the Supreme Court had upheld the governor's order. Law Minister Veerappa Moily said that the Chief Minister does not enjoy immunity and no one is above law. Moily said that the Governor is well within his rights to sanction prosecution of ministers and Chief Ministers . He said there is clear case of corruption against Yedyurappa and the Governor had no option but to sanction prosecution against Chief Minister .Ruling out the resignation by Yedyurappa , the BJP accused the Congress of misusing the Governor's office to settle scores against its political opponents. Party spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy alleged that Karnataka Governor has given the sanction before any court has even taken congnizance of the matter. He alleged that the Karnataka Governor is working as the congress agent to de -stabilize the BJP government. He also alleged that Congress is trying to divert the attention of the people from the issues of corruption and price rise by targetting the Karnataka Chief Minister. The Congress , while defending the action of Karnataka Governor said that he has acted after full application of mind. Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said that it is the discretion of the governor and if anybody is aggrieved they can take appropriate legal action.