Mutual respect underpins good ties

After about three decades, the Governor's role and powers have again become a controversial issue in this part of the country. In 1984 in undivided Andhra Pradesh, the Congress government at the Centre appointed Thakur Ramlal who was the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh with a mandate to recommend dismissal of the N T Rama Rao government. He executed the same when NTR went abroad for an open-heart surgery.

That led to a massive state-wide people's agitation which was supported by all parties and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had to re-instate NTR as the Chief Minister and NTR came back with a thumping majority in the elections that followed. Ramlal was later removed by the Rajiv Gandhi government.

Things did not subside. On November 26, 1985 another Congress leader Kumudben Joshi was appointed as the Governor and she was in office till February 1990. There were serious allegations against her that she had turned Raj Bhavan into APCC office. Such incidents have become part of history and people remember them today for wrong reasons.

Indira Gandhi always wanted committed Governors, a committed judiciary and a committed bureaucracy. There were several cases of Governors being removed. In 1977, when Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister, he changed all the Congress-appointed Governors. Indira Gandhi did the same on coming back to power in 1980.

Now, with regional parties gaining prominence, a new trend has emerged. Like Indira Gandhi, the present-day regional satraps also want a committed Governor, committed bureaucracy and if possible a committed judiciary. The bureaucracy should not forget that they are All India Service officers who have the responsibility of managing the government affairs and implementing policy decisions. They are also answerable to state legislatures and Parliament in case of any irregularities happening in the area under their watch. They are supposed to work for the country and not be committed to any one party. When the government errs, they should advise the political executive about how it could bring adverse results and also give solutions. Whether the political executive accepts or not is a different issue but they should not fail in their duties.

The officials should not get dragged into political controversies. They are supposed to maintain safe distance and advise the government about the pros and cons of its decisions and see that the administration is on the right track. But unfortunately, of late there has been some disruption in this process not just in Telangana but almost in every state. The bureaucracy should realise that they are not subservient to any party and should be above political affiliations. There is no point in writing books or making statements after retirement on the functioning of the government and how it erred.

The office of Governor is a legacy of the British rule. Article156 of our Constitution states that a Governor holds office at the pleasure of the President. He is appointed by the President on the advice of the Central government. The President also acts on the advice of the Central government to withdraw his pleasure, terminating the tenure of a Governor. The Governor is a representative of the Centre in the State, but not an agent of the Centre. He is a constitutional authority and should act independently without fear or favour of the ruling party or its alliance partner.

The fact is that Governors cannot take own decisions. They can advise the government and in certain issues they can ask the government to re-examine a decision. Similarly, the state governments too should learn to respect the office of the Governor.

They must follow the protocol. Just because they have differences with the Centre, they cannot ignore protocol as is now being seen in Telangana. Governor stands at fourth position in terms of importance and hierarchy, after President, Vice President and Prime Minister. While the Governors are expected to be highly balanced and should play the role of watchful expectancy and should not intervene in day-to-day functioning of a government, the ruling party too should understand that any disrespect to the office of the Governor gets a bad name to the state.

Chief Ministers should learn to be understanding and diplomatic and ensure coordination between the government and the Governor's office irrespective of political differences they may have with the ruling party at centre.

But unfortunately in the recent past, certain incidents like doing away with the Governor's address to the joint session under unjustifiable technical reason, not extending help to the Governor when she lost her mother, directing officials not to be present when the Governor went on a visit to temples or Sammakka Sarakka Jatara, not providing basic facilities like helicopter services etc do not enhance the prestige of the government or those who are heading it. The officers should follow the blue book. But the way they have been missing at official visits of Governor is a new and disturbing trend.

It is surprising that responsible leaders like KTR commented that there was no difference between the Governor and the government, and it was perhaps her imagination. The leaders should know that the differences are clearly visible to the naked eye of the common man. If there was no difference, how come even officials did not go to attend the functions held at Raj Bhavan? How is it that the government did not give her the customary Republic Day speech despite her asking for it? Why no official or public representative attended Ugadi celebrations at Raj Bhavan though the Governor had invited the CM and public representatives? The reason is TRS and BJP are at loggerheads. The political leaders should realise people are not blind.

KTR also commented that he had come to know that the Governor did not clear the name of Kaushik Reddy as an MLC candidate because of his political background. Even she is from political background only, he said.

It is surprising to hear such statements. Who was Ramnath Kovind before he was elected as President? Was he not a political person? The Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was a BJP national president in the past and a Union Minister for long time. Didn't the TRS know about it when they voted for them during Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections? Then why make such a comment on the Governor? What does it indicate? Does it enhance their prestige?

If the political parties feel that the Governor system has become outdated, there are two options before them. Let all of them arrive at a consensus, amend the Constitution and do away with the office of Governor or go in for elected Governor just as President or Vice President is elected. Instead of being practical and bringing necessary changes in the system, if they feel that the system of Governor is not required, they keep clashing with the office of the Governor for narrow political gains.

Officials particularly those belonging to Civil Services should not forget that they are working for the good of the state, but at the same time, they need to be independent in discharge of their duties and advise the government accordingly. Here we need to recall an incident when Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. He was known to be a very staunch Congressman and a freedom fighter. But as Governor, he was very balanced. Once when he went on a visit to Visakhapatnam, the Chief Minister was also in the same city attending some official programmes. But then the state government asked the then Joint Collector Jayaprakash Narayan to receive the Governor. According to Narayan, the Governor told him, "I know you people would like to be with the Chief Minister. You go I will manage." But the official replied that there were others with the Chief Minister, and he would be with the Governor to extend necessary assistance. The officers should not do anything to lower the importance of the office of the Governor.

It would be better if the government of the day here in Telangana realises that it is time for them to lower the temperature, think with a cool mind and keep the Governor out of politics. The bureaucracy too should convince the political executive that they should not do anything that would increase the rift between the government and the Raj Bhavan. It does not help anyone and all wings would tend to become a laughingstock, which is not good for anyone in any way.