Patna, November 8
The Prime Minister made a dig at Governor Buta Singh by describing his decision to recommend President’s rule in Bihar as “unfortunate”. Dr Manmohan Singh said, “The Governor should not have acted in such a manner.”
Dr Singh also broke his silence on the Supreme Court’s indictment of Governor Buta Singh, saying that the constitutional authorities should be above suspicion and function in a manner that does not invite adverse comments.
“I don’t like this controversy about the role of the Governor. It is an unfortunate development,” he said.
The Prime Minister said Governor Buta Singh should avoid triggering controversies through his statements.
Dr Singh told newspersons here that in view of his constitutional post, Mr Buta Singh should avoid issuing statements which create confusion.
Regarding the Supreme Court’s order describing the role of Buta Singh and dissolution of the state Assembly as “unconstitutional,” he said the Governor should keep in mind the dignity of the post. It was “unfortunate” that the Governor with his statements was trapped in controversies, he added.
The Prime Minister was answering questions from the media at Patna airport today before leaving for Delhi.
He had come here to campaign for SDF candidates in Saharsa and Sitamari where polling would take place on November 13 and 16, respectively.
Dr Manmohan Singh was all praise for RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and promised to build a new Bihar with him after the Secular Democratic Front (SDF) was voted to power in the Assembly poll.
The four-phased Assembly poll in Bihar, which began on October 18, would end on November 19 and the results would be declared on November 22, paving the way for the formation of the new government.
The Prime Minister praised him for introducing “unprecedented reforms” in the Indian Railways under his stewardship as Union Railway Minister.
Dr Singh claimed that with UPA ruling at the Centre, the UPF and SDF combination in Delhi and Patna could usher in a new era of development in Bihar. “There were some developments in Bihar after Independence. But the NDA played a stepmotherly attitude towards Bihar. We want to put Bihar on the path of development again,” the Prime Minister said.
According to Dr Singh, the development-related programmes for energy, health, education, irrigation, agriculture and agro-based industries meant for Bihar could best be encashed if the SDF was voted to power. “If like-minded forces rule at the Centre and in the state, progress is bound to be faster,” he said.
However, the Prime Minister promised the same cooperation under the Constitutional provision if the forces opposite to the
RJD were voted to power in Bihar.Replying to a question Dr Singh said the decision by the other UPA partner, the LJP, to fight elections separately would not mar the poll prospects of the UPA.
Reaching Patna this morning, the Prime Minister first addressed a rally at Saharsa where former Chief Minister Rabri Devi shared the platform with him.
At Saharsa, bordering Nepal, the Prime Minister promised steps to mitigate the problems of floods which cause havoc in the region every year. “We have initiated a dialogue with Nepal and plan to construct dams and reservoirs to check the problem in the area,” he said.
In Sitamari, the RJD supremo accompanied the Prime Minister where Dr Singh reminded the people of Mr Lalu Prasad successfully combating
communalism in Bihar. “There has not been a single riot in Bihar in the past 15 years of the RJD rule,” he said, while appealing the voters to defeat the NDA.
