Bihar Governor Rama Jois' criticism of the Rabri Devi government draws flak from the Rashtriya Janata Dal and its allies, while the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance defend him.
NOTWITHSTANDING Bihar's reputation for maintaining communal harmony under Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) rule, its government came under attack by Governor M. Rama Jois, setting the stage for yet another stand-off between the State government and the Centre. This time, Jois' timing of the criticism of the government's inability to maintain law and order was considered by many people to be inappropriate.
On January 26, addressing a gathering on Republic Day at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, the Governor, after unfurling the national flag, said that a sense of insecurity had gripped the people of Bihar and the predominant feelings among them were fear and terror. Referring to newspaper reports, he said that it was sad to know that the people of other States were afraid of sending their children to Bihar. He proceeded to exhort those responsible for maintaining law and order to carry out their duties without fear or favour. He said the foremost responsibility of the State was to ensure law and order and thereby provide security to the citizens.
Former Chief Minister and RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and his wife, Chief Minister Rabri Devi, who were present at the function, were peeved at the comments. They resolved to lodge a formal complaint against Jois to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and demand his removal. "I will complain to the President about the manner in which Jois violated constitutional norms and decorum. I will present him the text of the Governor's speech and request that he be removed," an annoyed Laloo Prasad told mediapersons. He accused Jois of being part of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) school, and said he would raise the issue in the next session of Parliament. "Today, when the nation is paying tribute to its martyrs, the Governor has used the occasion to put across his views as an RSS man," said Laloo Prasad. He added that it was only because of Jois' RSS leanings that he had opposed Jois being appointed Governor of Bihar.
Laloo Prasad pointed to the fact that communal violence had not occurred in Bihar and the victimisation of Biharis had taken place in other State capitals like Mumbai and Guwahati. "The Governor did not utter a single word on these issues," said the RJD chief. He attacked the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for its "communal agenda", which he claimed was harmful to the country's unity and integrity.
IT was not just the RJD that was miffed at the Governor's speech. Both the Congress(I) and the Left parties took strong exception to it. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau, in a statement, came down heavily on Jois, saying that Republic Day was neither the occasion nor the forum to raise issues that fell under the purview of a State government and that the Governor's behaviour betrayed his bias arising out of political affiliation. Polit Bureau member and chairman of the ruling Left Front in West Bengal Biman Bose told Frontline: "This was not within his jurisdiction. Being a Governor, he should know better. These types of people are not suitable for the post of Governor. It was a move that was so blatantly politically motivated."
The Congress(I) accused the Governor of playing the part of an Opposition leader rather than that of a constitutional head of the state. The party felt that the speech was not only distasteful, but, considering the impending general elections, politically motivated. It was an "interference" with a political process, the Congress(I) said.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) said it was a "grave act of impropriety" for the Governor to voice his political views and personal opinions on the law and order situation, and, like the RJD, demanded Jois' immediate removal.
The Janata Dal (Secular) called it a total misuse of the Governor's constitutional authority. The party's general secretary Kunwar Danish Ali said that Jois should have exercised restraint, keeping in mind the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The BJP, however, justified Jois' behaviour, saying that it was time for the Rabri Devi government to pay heed to the Governor's words and do some "introspection", rather than criticise him. In an attempt to refute the inappropriateness of the Governor's timing in lashing out at the RJD government, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar reportedly said that approval of the text of the Governor's speech by the State government was required only when he addressed the joint session of the legislature; for any other occasion, he said, a Governor was free to express his or her own views.
Party chief M. Venkaiah Naidu praised Jois for telling "the truth" and attacked the Congress(I) for supporting the RJD in allowing "jungle raj" to prevail in Bihar. He even cited three occasions on which the Patna High Court said that there was no governance in Bihar. Most recently, the Patna High Court, on the issue of the State government flouting constitutional norms in the appointment of teachers, came down heavily on the Rabri Devi government, saying that the situation in Bihar was fit for the imposition of President's Rule.
Soon after Jois' Republic Day address, a delegation of BJP members reportedly to have met the Governor and urged him to report the deteriorating law and order situation to the President. BJP State unit chief Gopal Narayan Singh warned that if the law and order situation did not improve, his party would demand the invocation of Article 356.
The BJP also found support from its ally, the Samata Party. Railway Minister and Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar unequivocally supported the Governor's criticism. Speaking to reporters in Patna, he said that the present situation in Bihar warranted the imposition of President's Rule, but the government was helpless as it did not enjoy a majority in the Rajya Sabha.
Jois' attack came just two days after some activists of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) were killed by unidentified assailants in Shabdo village under Fatehpur police station in Gaya district. However, this was not the first time the RJD government has had a run-in with a Governor. Sunder Singh Bhandari, during his tenure as Governor of Bihar, had maintained that the State was a fit case for President's Rule. On February 12, 1999, President K. R. Narayanan had no other option but to give his assent to the invocation of Article 356 in Bihar, having returned the same resolution for reconsideration in September 1998. However, the order had to be revoked when the government failed to garner enough support in the Rajya Sabha to ratify the presidential proclamation.
COMMents
COMMents
SHARE