Governor’s office repeatedly insulted by state: Tamilisai

HYDERABAD: Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said the state government had repeatedly insulted the office of the Governor, and if decisions taken by her following the Constitutional provisions were not acceptable to the government, then the Chief Minister could have always called on her to discuss any issue he might have wanted to.

 The Governor was speaking with media persons in New Delhi on Wednesday after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the increasing distance between the Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister’s official residence Pragathi Bhavan becoming more evident by the day, the Governor said there was no need to brief the Prime Minister about what was happening in Telangana. “Everyone knows what is happening in Telangana,” she said.

“As a constitutional head, I have my opinion. I always go by the system and the law. When such decisions are seen differently and if the government wants to insult the Governor, then I am not worried about that. But the office should be respected. It is not Tamilisai, the office of the Governor should be respected. The people are observing. I leave it to the people of Telangana and the country (to decide),” she said.

Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, who first opened up on April 2, on the eve of Ugadi, the increasing distance between the Raj Bhavan and the Pragathi Bhavan, said if someone who could not attend the event at the Raj Bhavan called and explained the reasons for their absence. “But even when that response was not there (from Pragathi Bhavan). When we have not done anything (to warrant being ignored), it was insulting.”

Asked about her rejecting the candidature of Padi Kaushik Reddy for an MLC post under the Governor’s quota, she said, “They cannot force me. I have explained several times that it is the Governor’s quota, and the provision was for ‘service category’. When I am not satisfied about the candidature, it is my right to say so. It is not that everything the government sends should be accepted. It was a constitutional decision.”

She also mentioned the government’s decision to continue with a protem chairman of the Legislative Council and that she had pointed out this was only an interim arrangement. “When we point out a system with an open heart, it should be accepted, it should be discussed. I am for open discussion. Even the Chief Minister can come and discuss with me, I am not denying appointments if sought. Anything can be discussed openly, ministers too can come to the office. But if nothing is discussed and taken in a biased manner, I leave it to the people to judge,” she said.

 She also said the protocol violations during her visits to various districts were nothing short of insulting. “Because some decisions may be not accepted by the Governor, should it mean that the Governor’s office should be insulted? Should the Governor’s protocol be violated? Is there any rule that the Governor should not be taken care of when she goes for a tour? That the district collector or SP should not come?”

On enforcing her authority in the state, she said while she could do so, the government should act responsibly. “The Chief Secretary knows how to go about the role of the Governor and even the collector knows how to respect the tour of the Governor. This should not be repeated in the office of the Governor. I may be here now, and another Governor can come, but the office should be respected,” she said.