06-17-2005, 06:25 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Governors' dharma </b>
The Pioneer Edit Desk
The conference of Governors, with the President of India presiding, was supposed to evolve into a brain-storming exercise where ideas would be exchanged by participants to make gubernatorial responsibilities more in tune with current realities.
However, over the years the conference of Governors had been reduced to a farce where politically correct platitudinous statements would be made by occupants of Raj Bhavans and the President of the Republic, each participant exerting to please - and not hurt - the sensitivities of the Government of the day. President APJ Abdul Kalam has tried to rescue this important event by breaking with the tradition set by his predecessors of treating it as an opportunity to genuflect to political masters.
In a blunt message to Governors who had gathered for this year's conference, President Kalam has asked them to stop functioning as political agents of the party ruling at the Centre. He has eloquently described the primary responsibility of Governors as rising "above day-to-day politics" and overriding political "compulsions" emanating from the Union Government. In normal circumstances, President Kalam's comments could be construed as nothing more than stating the obvious; after all, Governors are expected to be neither involved in mundane politics, nor capitulate in the face of political compulsions. But these are not normal times and ever since the UPA Government came to power last summer, the Congress has been influencing gubernatorial decisions with disastrous consequences for India's federal and democratic polity. The party has not had to exert too hard to achieve its goal of converting Raj Bhavans into extension counters of its headquarters. Most of the Governors, till recently active Congress politicians, are more than eager to do the bidding of their party 'high command' in Delhi.
The most glaring political manipulation of gubernatorial powers was witnessed earlier this year when the BJP Government in Goa was removed with the help of a Governor who showed no qualms about carrying out the instructions of his political bosses in Delhi. This was followed by the astounding decision of the Governor of Jharkhand to invite, as instructed by the Congress 'high command', those who had clearly lost the Assembly election to form the State Government. The latest instance of gubernatorial mischief is the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly as an expedient means to prevent the formation of a non-Congress Government. True, President Kalam stopped the farce in Jharkhand by summoning the Governor and forcing the Union Government to undo the damage inflicted on our polity by the undeserving person occupying the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.
But he cannot be expected to play a leading role on each occasion of misuse and abuse of gubernatorial powers. If Governors are to sincerely "preserve the light of dharma", as advised by the President, then they should be individuals with identities larger than that of party factotums. Unfortunately, that is not the situation, not least because the Congress has nothing but contempt for institutions of the state.
If the rot has to be checked, and dignity restored to the Governor's office, then political parties across the board have to agree to depoliticise Raj Bhavans. Till such time this happens, Governors will continue to act as agents of the ruling party. And, misuse of gubernatorial powers shall continue to blotch our image as a functioning democracy.
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The Pioneer Edit Desk
The conference of Governors, with the President of India presiding, was supposed to evolve into a brain-storming exercise where ideas would be exchanged by participants to make gubernatorial responsibilities more in tune with current realities.
However, over the years the conference of Governors had been reduced to a farce where politically correct platitudinous statements would be made by occupants of Raj Bhavans and the President of the Republic, each participant exerting to please - and not hurt - the sensitivities of the Government of the day. President APJ Abdul Kalam has tried to rescue this important event by breaking with the tradition set by his predecessors of treating it as an opportunity to genuflect to political masters.
In a blunt message to Governors who had gathered for this year's conference, President Kalam has asked them to stop functioning as political agents of the party ruling at the Centre. He has eloquently described the primary responsibility of Governors as rising "above day-to-day politics" and overriding political "compulsions" emanating from the Union Government. In normal circumstances, President Kalam's comments could be construed as nothing more than stating the obvious; after all, Governors are expected to be neither involved in mundane politics, nor capitulate in the face of political compulsions. But these are not normal times and ever since the UPA Government came to power last summer, the Congress has been influencing gubernatorial decisions with disastrous consequences for India's federal and democratic polity. The party has not had to exert too hard to achieve its goal of converting Raj Bhavans into extension counters of its headquarters. Most of the Governors, till recently active Congress politicians, are more than eager to do the bidding of their party 'high command' in Delhi.
The most glaring political manipulation of gubernatorial powers was witnessed earlier this year when the BJP Government in Goa was removed with the help of a Governor who showed no qualms about carrying out the instructions of his political bosses in Delhi. This was followed by the astounding decision of the Governor of Jharkhand to invite, as instructed by the Congress 'high command', those who had clearly lost the Assembly election to form the State Government. The latest instance of gubernatorial mischief is the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly as an expedient means to prevent the formation of a non-Congress Government. True, President Kalam stopped the farce in Jharkhand by summoning the Governor and forcing the Union Government to undo the damage inflicted on our polity by the undeserving person occupying the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.
But he cannot be expected to play a leading role on each occasion of misuse and abuse of gubernatorial powers. If Governors are to sincerely "preserve the light of dharma", as advised by the President, then they should be individuals with identities larger than that of party factotums. Unfortunately, that is not the situation, not least because the Congress has nothing but contempt for institutions of the state.
If the rot has to be checked, and dignity restored to the Governor's office, then political parties across the board have to agree to depoliticise Raj Bhavans. Till such time this happens, Governors will continue to act as agents of the ruling party. And, misuse of gubernatorial powers shall continue to blotch our image as a functioning democracy.
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