Kalahandi's agony

Sir, - The plight of the poor in Kalahandi, ever struggling even to get the basic necessities like water and food, is well portrayed in the article by Ms. Nirmala Lakshman (Magazine section, May 13).

As the writer has pointed out, several others have written at length about the appalling condition of the under-privileged and under-nourished people in Kalahandi. But it is a pity that neither the State nor the Centre has taken adequate steps to put an end to the agony of the Kalahandi inhabitants so far. Sad to learn that the tireless efforts of Mr. Thakurdas Mahanand, a village leader, to organise digging of an old well to augment water supply have not met with success.

What does the State Government have to say about this? Is it not heart-rending to hear that even 54 years after Independence, the people of Kalahandi and its suburbs have to run from pillar to post to get potable water? One hopes that the Prime Minister, Mr.A.B. Vajpayee, would pay a visit to Kalahandi at the earliest and ensure that at least the people get protected water supply.

Mani Natarajan,

Chennai

Governor and statute

Date: 18-05-2001 :: Pg: 12 :: Col: a

Sir, - I congratulate you on the forthright manner in which you have, in your Editorial (May 15) disapproved of the haste with which Ms. Jayalilatha has assumed office as Chief Minister, though I find it difficult to endorse your defence of the Governor's action. For anyone to suggest that the Constitution does not specifically bar a person convicted of corruption charges from being sworn in as Chief Minister would be to insult the Constitution makers.

You have referred to the ``possibility that refusing to swear her in could precipitate an ugly and unwanted constitutional crisis.'' A Governor is on oath to uphold the Constitution which has to be done both in letter and spirit. If, in doing so, any difficult situation develops, the Governor has to deal with it. A Governor, for instance, should not be deterred by a possible law and order situation but uphold the rule of law under all circumstances. What the Governor has now done would perhaps imply that the law of the land would not apply to a politician who is able to obtain popular mandate to hold public office. Certainly a wrong precedent has been set. You have very appropriately referred to the ``absurdities of the present situation'' namely, the existence of a number of corruption cases against Ms. Jayalilatha, many of which are overseen by officials of the State Government which she now heads and you have advised that Ms. Jayalilatha should resist the temptation to influence the legal process. It is doubtful if she would heed the advice.

V. Krishnamachari,

* * *

Sir, - While all of us talk about transparency in functioning of Governments and other undertakings, why not the Governor of Tamil Nadu explain to the public how she went about this exercise of installing Ms. Jayalalitha as Chief Minister and her consultation with constitutional experts, etc. This is all the more needed when strong views by many prominent citizens for and against are being expressed.

S. Chandrasekaran,

Chennai

* * *

Sir, - Legal brains and public moralists cry hoarse against the Tamil Nadu Governor's decision to invite Ms. Jayalalitha to take the oath of office as Chief Minister. The eminent jurist, Mr. V.R. Krishna Iyer, while allowing the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, to continue in office without exercising the right to vote in Parliament during the pendancy of a case, opened his judgment with this famous observation, ``Life is larger than Law.''

The Tamil Nadu Governor did the right thing; if she had refused, she would have committed the blunder of negating the mandate of the people. Mr. George Fernandes, who is faulting the Governor for creating a bad precedent, should remember that he was inducted into the Janata Government headed by Morarji Desai after the Government withdrew the chargesheet against him in the Baroda Dynamite case. All those who talk about bad precedents now should look back on the past events before blaming others.

P.C.Ganesan,

Chennai

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Opinion
Previous : Political parties & people's power
Next     : DMK's downfall