Chennai, July 4:
Triggering a political storm, Tamil Nadu Governor VR Arlekar has held a detailed review meeting with officials during his visit to Madurai and his remark that the Lok Bhavan would step in if the plight of the barren Vaigai river not restored to its pristine glory has snowballed into a turf war, with the ruling TVK headed by Chief Minister Vijay strongly opposing it and the opposition DMK and leaders of TVK supporting parties, condemning it.
The TVK government of Vijay as well as the opposition DMK have reacted sharply terming this review as unacceptable and unwarranted constitutional overreach, parallel administration and erosion of state autonomy.
Besides Tamil Nadu Ministers Vanni Arasu and CTR Nirmal Kumar, Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin have condemned it unequivocally.
This has rekindled memories of former Governors holding similar review meetings with government officials, including district collectors, during their tenure, which provoked a Centre-State confrontation.
In what could be seen as a continuing confrontation between the elected government and the Lok Bhavan over a host of issues, Arlekar, the Governor of Kerala and holding additional charge of Tamil Nadu, appears to be treading a path that puts him at odds with the state government.
Arlekar made the remark on Thursday, while speaking at an event organised to commemorate the 80th annivesary of the Indian National Army (INA) of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose at a private college in Madurai.
“I saw the Vaigai. There is a river, but there is no water. We must take the responsibility. Patriotism is not only about taking up guns and going to war; restoring our rivers is also an act of patriotism. If no one restores the Vaigai, the Governor’s office itself will step into the field,” he said. Not stopping at that, he held an hour-long review meeting with the officials.
Opposing the Governor’s act, senior TVK leader and Electricity Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar asked the officials not to extend any cooperation to the Governor without the approval of the state government. “Without obtaining the state government’s approval, officials should not cooperate with the Governor. When there is a government elected by the people, the governor has no role in conducting administrative reviews. The governor does not possess such powers,” he told reporters in Madurai after a review meeting.
The Minister said the Governor had no authority to review government schemes and asserted that the TVK government would not permit any exercise that, in its view, amounted to interference in the functioning of an elected administration.
“Officials should not cooperate with the Governor without obtaining the State government’s approval. We are conveying this on behalf of the government. When there is a government elected by the people, the Governor has no role in conducting administrative reviews. Such interference will only create unnecessary confusion. The Governor does not possess such powers,” Nirmalkumar said.
Reiterating the State government’s position, the Minister said only an elected government and elected representatives were empowered to review government programmes within the framework of the law, maintaining that the Governor had no executive authority to undertake such reviews.
While criticizing the Governor, former Deputy CM and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin (DMK) targeted the TVK government of being weak resulting in the Lok Bhavan stepping into administration. Describing the governor’s action as an encroachment on the powers of the elected government. “The DMK government has never allowed it. But this is happening under the watch of the TVK government,” he said.
Describing the development as an encroachment on the powers of the elected government, the DMK leader said allowing the Governor to review the functioning of departments amounted to compromising the State’s autonomy.
Recalling the previous AIADMK regime, Udhayanidhi said the DMK had strongly opposed similar attempts by the Governor to review government departments. “The DMK did not allow such a practice. But TVK does. Is this the change they promised?” he asked.
Members of the TVK’s alliance parties including the CPI also condemned the governor’s act.