Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Give him a break

It was a fractured verdict that necessitated Mr. Singh's action. He only sent a report in view of the prevailing circumstances. Why should the Cabinet go into the question whether the Governor is biased? Is a Governor expected to allow politicians to buy one another and form a government?

The judiciary has been expressing indignation quite frequently in recent times. Anything and everything cannot be reduced to the rule of law. If that were to be the case, the judiciary could start running the affairs of the state.

K.S.K. Prasad,
Hyderabad

The verdict is unduly harsh on Mr. Singh and avoidably charitable to the Union Cabinet led by the Prime Minister. Mr. Singh was perhaps least guilty as he had been consistently writing to the Centre about the unsavoury developments in Bihar before sending in his recommendation.

The President had the option of returning the recommendation for a review, which he perhaps did not do because he did not expect the Manmohan Singh Government to sacrifice honesty for political survival.

P.V. Maiya,
Bangalore

The Governor only chose one of the alternatives available in a hung Assembly. As a result of his decision, Bihar got a stable government. It is a pity that the Court has used harsh words instead of suggesting a way out of such situations. A politician knows the aspirations of the people better than those who sit in high chairs away from the maddening crowd.

C. Joseph,
Chennai

The problem lies more in the provisions of the Constitution, not in the person. Before faulting Mr. Singh it is important to ask what else Governors are expected to do when they have no security of tenure and their continuance in office depends on the pleasure of the ruling party at the Centre?

Rajan Jha,
Patna

The Government cannot be fully faulted for acting as it did. The dissenting judges have said the Court cannot go into the manner the Council of Ministers tendered advice to the President. It is time a convention was established whereby only apolitical persons are assigned gubernatorial posts.

K.M. Sundaram,
Chennai

Is it essential for a Governor to justify the circumstances that led him to form his perception in such great detail as to convince not only the Council of Ministers but also the courts at a future date? In taking a view of complex situations, perceptions, as much as reasoning, play an important part. This has been demonstrated by the split verdict.

K.X.M. John,
Kochi, Kerala

The verdict has come as a major embarrassment to the UPA Government. However, as it does not have a direct bearing on the political situation in Bihar now, this is the right time for all parties to come together and evolve a comprehensive set of guidelines to be followed in the appointment of Governors.

K.V. Rajasekhar,
Neyveli, T.N.

Good politics is about reconciliation. On the contrary, what is practised today is confrontation in every sphere. The Bihar Assembly was dissolved to ensure that the NDA did not form the government. The ostensible reason — to prevent horse-trading. Karnataka is reeling under infrastructure deficiency while the elected representatives have fanned out to various parts of the country. The Speaker gets a court notice, which he refuses to accept on the basis of the combined wisdom of parliamentarians. Large-scale snooping is done on members of the Opposition by tapping phones. Power, it seems, breeds intolerance. End, and not means, appears the criterion. What is the message we are sending to about 20 crore youngsters on whom the future of India hinges?

S. Lakshiminarayanan,
Chennai

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