Use & abuse of Article 356

In the context of Mr S. Sahay’s article, “Use and abuse of Art 356: those in power never learn”, October 7, it is true that almost every political party plays the game according to its own convenience. When in opposition it asks for the abolition, amendment or abrogation of Article 356; when in power at the Centre it abuses the power for political ends.

Thus, the Congress, the greatest misuser of Article 356, found nothing incongruous about protesting against the BJP’s move on Bihar. The decision of the Central (Congress) governments in the past to dismiss the state governments like those in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh was taken when there was no constitutional breakdown following the Ayodhya episode because the states were ruled by the BJP.

What an irony that the BJP itself, which had raised much hue and cry and fought tooth and nail against the imposition of President’s rule in UP by invoking Article 356, saying it was “politically motivated” and blatantly partisan on the part of the then Governor Romesh Bhandari, is now trying to justify its own unwarranted action despite the fact that the RJD government took a vote of confidence a couple of days before.

It may hereby be recalled that the BJP, which piously proclaimed in its manifesto of 1996 that “we shall explore the possibility of making it mandatory for the Union government to seek Parliament’s approval by two-thirds majority”, thought nothing of violating its own stated position.

Thus Article 356 has not so much been used as misused or abused. Under the existing circumstances, when the Article is invoked by one political party to seal the fate of another, all parties should get together and agree on a minimum set of rules for the imposition of President’s rule in any state. Closely related to it is the question of how to eliminate blatant gubernatorial perversities. In fact, if there has to be any national debate (Home Minister L.K. Advani has suggested a nationwide debate on the issue of Article 356), it must be on the appointment of Governors with credentials of proven integrity, non-partisan approach and a clear understanding of the constitutional role of the Governor. The appointment of politically partisan Governors seemingly provides a pre-determined role to the powers that be in New Delhi.

The President can do a great service to the nation in this regard. He is the ultimate umpire. Apart from the Governor’s assessment of the situation, he may send an independent team of experts headed by a retired judge of the apex court to the troubled state to look into all aspects of the situation before he forms his own impression about the use of Article 356.

K. M. VASHISHT
Mansa

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Roads in Shimla

This year the monsoon has been very heavy. Consequently, roads have been adversely affected at many places in Himachal Pradesh.

The roads in Shimla town and the surrounding areas have developed too much of pot-holes. The bypass from Khalini to Kusumpti is one such stretch where driving surface needs immediate attention.

And whereas the bad surface of the national highway inside the Sanjauli tunnel cannot be attributed to the monsoon effect, this 80-metre stretch also needs repairs urgently.

Since this regal town of the Raj era attracts a lot of tourists, including foreigners, it is highly desirable that the Public Works Department and the municipal authorities repair the damaged sections of the roads in Shimla on a war-footing. The drains should also be suitably attended to so that the repairs last longer.

K. L. NOATAY
Shimla

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Neglected hostel

There exists a working women’s hostel in the district town of Kurukshetra. It has remained neglected by district officials for many reasons.

The approach road to the hostel is a kutcha one which becomes muddy and slashy during the rainy season. One can observe people slipping on this road quite often. Not much expenditure is involved if the road is converted into a metalled one.

The sanitary conditions in the hostel are far from satisfactory. There is no direct supply of drinking water in the hostel rooms. It has become a favourite place for stray animals. The wild growth in the lawns can easily shelter poisonous reptiles. The lights in the lawns are seldom in a working order. The guest room of the hostel lacks basic amenities.

JASBIR
Kurukshetra

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Distributive justice

Apropos of the editorial “A Nobel of economic sanity” (Oct 16), Prof Amartya Sen’s Nobel Prize makes the whole Third World feel proud as now the Western world should realise the futility of exploitative capitalism and globalised economy based on the accumulation of wealth by completely ignoring distributive justice.

The West has propagated the generation and accumulation of wealth as the sign of a healthy economy as it leads to an impressive GDP and per capita income. Rarely has it been realised that GDP and per capita income do not reflect the reality of shared opportunities in society.

Professor Sen has been working for the reordering of priorities between man and money. For a coordinated balanced socio-economic growth, primacy of man over amassing money has to be recognised. Human sufferings, like famine, are not due to the shortage of resources but due to a distorted distribution. Even many of our political ills in the system are rooted in an unfair distribution of wealth and opportunities.

VED GULIANI
Hisar

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Back-breaking price rise

The unusual rise in the prices of vegetables in general has badly affected the budget of the common man. Onion is being sold in Chandigarh at prices ranging between Rs 50 and Rs 70 per kg! It seems the government is doing nothing to control the prices of essential commodities.

We all know that the onion crop has been damaged due to the floods and unseasonal rain in Gujarat and Maharashtra, but it is not for the first time that this has happened. Crop damage had been reported many times in the past, but we never had onions selling at such high prices.

There is also no let-up in the uptrend in the prices of other essential commodities like refined oil. Vegetables are threatening to go out of the reach of the middle class.

The BJP, which heads the government at the Centre, has lost the sympathies of most of the people who voted it to power as the government has been unsuccessful in keeping vigil on the prices of the items of daily use.

It is high time the government took some remedial measures immediately to end this crisis. If it still remains unmoved, I am afraid the government will not be able to complete its full term.

SANJAY KHURANA
Chandigarh