Governor’s making news have been rare in the past, but in vogue these days, thanks to the deep political nature of the Central government in all their dealings with opposition party ruled states. News mostly emanates from the opposition party ruled States and very rarely from other States. No one has heard about a Governor having issues with the Chief Minister of Manipur, a troubled State for months, despite the state being ravaged by tribal group fights condemned by all.
Talking to two Governors of non ruling party (at the centre) States, West Bengal and Kerala is indeed revealing on the new power play and interpersonal communications of the top constitutional functionaries. Aarif Mohammed Khan, Governor of Kerala, appeared to have lost all personal communications with the Chief Minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, directly. But Governor Ananda Bose of West Bengal appeared to keep the very personal relationship with the Chief Minister Mamta Banerji, directly, so much so, she sent a few Malayalee cooks to the Raj Bhavan when she heard the Governor as not enjoying the “ machor jal” of Bengalees. In contrast, Governor Aarif, who insists that Kerala is the best State in the country with his natural beauty and human resources (literacy and human dignity index), is not even talking terms with the Chief Minister even on public platforms. He is deeply upset the Chief Minister’s party’s student wing is showing black flags across the state and even changed his security from Kerala police to Central forces to prevent any untoward happenings.
Governor Aarif being a fiery political activist from Aligarh Muslim University and a scholar in his own right has been the best brand ambassador for Kerala in his first three years in the office as the picturistic Raj Bhavan at Thiruvananthapuram. So much so he was on a lecture tour across the country from Kashmir downwards in India, taking special permission from the President to be away from office for 15 days in a month for his tours. He was mighty impressed by the cohabitation of various religions, a phenomenon for generations in the state, the literacy and above all the human dignity even the lowest strata of society enjoys. “I keep telling my friends who are guests at Raj Bhavan from other States, to be careful about the “dignity” factor even for a gardener”, he said in an informal chat. He obviously wanted his guests not to show class, caste hierarchy in their interactions and get snubbed by the staff at Raj Bhavan.
However, the ruling Left Front, and its Chief Minister appears to be not impressed by the Governor’s appreciation of the human development index of the state and suspects a BJP political agenda in every move of his. And after the open acrimonious fight between the Governor and the Chief Minister for the last two years , each is moving in their own way, last being suspension of a Vice Chancellor of a University where the Left wing student organisaiton appeared to have killed a student during ragging. For the Governor, who was shown black flags in his routes across the State by the very same student organisaiton, it was a blessing in disguise to humiliate them and their parental organization the CPIM. “ I had told the Chief Minister that he can openly differ with me on any issues, but keep the communication channel, preferably directly open on issues. But he seems to have shut all channels”, the Governor commented on the situation. The Chief Minister having got his party , CPIM and the Left front and the Cabinet of Ministers under his thumb, seems not to like Governor’s interference in otherwise unquestioned conduct in his official dealings. Unfortunately for the CM, his office and he in person has come under shadow of some of the controversies too, which emboldens the Governor to also show him the rule book occasionally.
But for Governor Ananda Bose, a retired IAS officer appeared to have informal and personal channels open with the Chief Minister Mamata Banerji. He says he has a good personal rapport with the Chief Minister and they counsel each other on various issues, unlike his predecessor who was on an open adversarial path. “I helped her get Rs 2000 crores through my interventions to the state exchequer share of central funds, as she was bitterly complaining about Centre’s non-cooperation”. Governor, being an ex-secretary to the Government of India, could use his old bureaucratic connections to cajole various departments to speed up their disbursal on various programmes. In contrast, the Kerala government has approached the Supreme Court to get his various pending funds from the Centre, indicating a total lack of trust in the Governor, the Centre’s constitutional man in the high office of the State.
It is surprising that both the Governor’s are scholars in their own right and authored a few books. Governor Ananda Bose has even made his Raj Bhavan publish a few books with the Bhavan’s logo too. Governor Aarif has been a scholar of repute and has been even contributing to various English national newspapers from time to time. Both are happy presenting their books to their visitors. One felt both wanted to reach out to the Governments on their own way to discharge their constitutional duties with its political limitations. In West Bengal, such an outreach appeared to happen thanks to the humane approach to issues by both the Governor and the Chief Minister. But in Kerala it happened to be one-sided. Governor has proved to be more humane in his public conduct reaching all places of tragedies, latest being the visit to the parents of the boy who got killed by the left student body goons.
The governor’s office has been retained in the Constitution to ensure constitutional compliance of conduct of the various elected State Governments in a country with diverse population and ethnic history like India, spanning from Mizoram to Kerala. Mostly it is the senior politicians or the retired bureaucrats or judges appointed as Governors, as they bring home certain in depth knowledge of the constitutional functioning, especially between States and Central government for the smooth conduct of the rule of law. Though the elected Chief Ministers have the power, they are to work under the supervision and counseling with the constitutional head of the State, the Governor who is not elected, but appointed from time to time by the central government of the time. It is in the interest of the State and its people that all constitutional functionaries counsel each other to discharge their duties, not openly disagree or fight, wasting their precious time serving the people.
