The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, July 12, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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Governors’ conference today
From T.R. Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, July 11 — The two-day conference of Governors and Lt-Governors gets under way here tomorrow when the general political environment is volatile amid increasing attacks on minorities and the demand for autonomy by Jammu and Kashmir along with some other states becoming shriller.

The President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, who has specially convened the conference after a gap of three years, is expected to set the tone for deliberations in the backdrop of several far-reaching decisions taken by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government, including the setting up of a commission to review the working of the Constitution.

Opinion is sharply divided about the real intent of the Constitution Review Commission. The President is of the opinion that it is not advisable to tamper with the provisions of the Constitution. What he has called for is to analyse critically whether those who have worked in framing the Constitution have failed. The opposition Congress dismissed the Constitution review exercise as politically motivated.

Mr Narayanan will be presiding over the conference of Governors and Lt-Governors for the first time after he assumed the high office of President in July 1997. The agenda encompasses the critical aspect of the role of a Governor in acting as a facilitator between the state and the Centre.

Considering the composition of the governments at the helm of affairs in the states, fissures have developed in the relationship between some Governors and Chief Ministers. This has created avoidable embarrassment to the President and the central leadership of the day.

There have been demands for the recall of some Governors as evidenced in the case of Mr V.C. Pande of Bihar where Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress are in power. The relationship between Mr Pande and Mr Yadav has been turbulent with the maverick RJD chief being highly critical of the Governor’s decisions.

At least one Congress Chief Minister, Mr Digvijay Singh of Madhya Pradesh, has not taken kindly to the reported interference of the Governor, Bhai Mahavir, in affairs connected with universities.

The agenda for the Governors’ conference as issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan is couched in a language so that it does not whip up a controversy. The press note states that the Governors “will discuss various issues concerning their respective states and deliberate on matters of common interest concerning social, developmental and law and order issues. Some of the sectors to be covered include water resources, implementation of programmes for weaker sections, disaster management plans and related areas. Apart from this, the role of the Governors in the context of universities and administration of scheduled areas and tribal areas would also figure in the discussions”.

The Governor’s role is limited to ensuring that there is no constitutional breakdown in a state. Those holding gubernatorial office are generally bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers. There is a feeling in some sections that the Governor should be vested with greater powers.

The President has been concerned about the law and order situation and the incessant attacks on minorities as well as the menace of militancy. The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, is expected to give a detailed exposition along with the steps taken to sternly deal with this problem for maintaining communal harmony.

The chiefs of the intelligence and other agencies will also be at hand to brief the Governors.

The conference of Governors is usually held once every two years. It could not be held earlier primarily due to the general election and the fluid political situation.