Special
Perks to Ex-governors
NOTHING BUT SQUANDERING AWAY PUBLIC MONEY
Daily Naya India (Hindi) has come out with a report
(March 09, 2013) that the present UPA government has been too pleased to shower
many favours and perks on the ex-governors at public cost.
UPA has decided to provide a secretary and to dole out `20,000
per month to enable ex-governors to maintain their office for life. Further a special
identity card is being designed so that they get special attention at railway
stations and airports while travelling. A protocol is also being devised for
them.
To justify the step, the government explains that the
ex-governors have complained that after they demit office, they are made to
lead a life of no identity. All this is being done to maintain their dignity in
retired life, the government explained.
MAINLY RULING PARTY CHUMS
It needs to be kept in mind that more than 95 percent of the
ex-governors still alive belong to the ruling Congress Party or those who
served it well. The appointment of governors is solely a discretionary favour
on the persons. There are no rules governing their appointment and selection.
Today the Raj Bhawans in Congress-ruled States have been turned into Congress
Bhawans where governors keep a friendly eye on the activities of the Congress
governments to promote and protect the ruling party interests. In non-Congress
ruled States, the Raj Bhawans are known to have been converted into Opposition
Bhawans. The governors play the role of the opposition more than that is performed
by the elected leaders of opposition in the assembly. They keep the State
governments on their toes by everyday pinpricking. Such instances are seen
today in the States of Gujarat, Karnataka etc.
It is needless to recall how the office of the governor has
been misused by the ruling party in destabilizing elected governments through
underhand means by back room maneuvers. The cases of Bihar, Goa, Jharkhand, and
so on are the recent instances. In Bihar the role of the then Governor Buta
Singh was severely censured by the Supreme Court and he had ultimately to
vacate the Raj Bhawan.
DISCREDITED GOVERNORS
It is not difficult to perceive that effort has always been
made to put diehard Congress leaders in the Raj Bhawan with a specific mandate
in opposition ruled States. Instances are not few and far between to find when
governors have called on the national party chiefs, obviously to seek their
'inspiration' and aashirwaad.
For all intents and purposes, a governor is a public
servant. But he is a glamourised and privileged variety. If a public servant is
found derelict in the performance of his duties as per the law and the rules,
he is made answerable. At times he even loses his job and pension. But it is
not so in the case of governors. Governors like Bhandari and Buta Singh had to
quit following a censure of their conduct by the courts, yet they continue to
draw all the benefits due to a retired governor.
In these circumstances, the UPA government move is bound to
entail a heavy burden on the hard earned money of the aam aadmi only to
prize the individuals who were only the blue-eyed persons of the ruling bosses
to promote and protect their sectarian political and electoral interests at the
cost of public interest.
