President is no rubber stamp, but final arbiter: KC Singh
CHANDIGARH: “Ultimately, the buck stops at the President of India’s table. When all other checks fail, the President has been enjoined by the Constitution to maintain its sanctity. The Indian President’s position is akin to that of the British sovereign, but his/her oath is similar to that of the US President. If our President is merely a cabinet rubber stamp, how can he/ she abide by the oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of India?”
This argument forms a key feature of former diplomat KC Singh’s book, ‘The Indian President: An Insider’s Account of The Zail Singh Years,’ that will be released in Chandigarh on May 27.
Singh, who served as deputy secretary to the seventh President, Giani Zail Singh, from 1983-87, examines the President’s role, particularly when a popular Prime Minister is voted to power. “They were peculiar times when the President and PM fell out. But Zail Singh showed how even a President under pressure from a PM (Rajiv Gandhi) with an overwhelming majority could find space to assert himself.
This book traces Giani ji’s transition from a courtier (as Indira Gandhi’s loyalist) to an arbiter. “The President is the final arbiter to keep the guardrails of democracy functional,” says the 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, who served as the ambassador to the UAE and Iran before retiring from service in 2008.
‘Zail Singh didn’t quit in national interest’
“Had Zail Singh resigned after Operation Bluestar, he would have ruled Punjab for the rest of his life. But it would have created a wedge between the Sikh community and the rest of the country. Giani ji sided with the nation,” says the writer about the challenging times that are crucial to understanding the limits and possibilities of the country’s highest office.
On why he waited for 15 years after retirement to write the book, he says “I’m glad I waited as my perspective has evolved. Instead of the book being just about the Zail SinghRajiv Gandhi saga, I have expanded it to examine the role and institution of the President.”
The first 80 pages are about the first two Presidents, Rajendra Prasad and S Radhakrishnan, and the standards they set. “The President’s office was envisioned as a grand referee in the constitutional scheme, but a paradox is at play. Strong Prime Ministers prefer submissive presidents when the nation requires the reverse to ensure institutional balance,” he says.
Equal representation in Rajya Sabha
In a world where “democratic regression” is underway, the author says to protect federalism and ensure constitutionalism, only persons of high integrity and courage must hold the post of President or Vice-President. To ensure this, the Rajya Sabha must have equal representation from each state, regardless of size or demographics. Only then does the possibility increase for such individuals to become the President, who will consistently abide by their oath.
Shifting focus to Punjab politics, KC Singh, who formed the Sunehra Punjab Party in the run-up to the February 2022 assembly elections, admits the aim was to back farmer leaders, who had formed the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, after the successful agitation against the three (now repealed) farm laws. “There was a political vacuum in Punjab but we knew farmer leaders couldn’t have done it themselves. The people from the grassroots needed people with experience from various fields. But the farmers got divided, that was a mistake,” he recounts.
He senses a “power vacuum” in Punjab even now. “People voted for change but they are not happy with the Aam Aadmi Party,” says the veteran columnist,
Sustainable agri, industry models
“The benefits of the Green Revolution have run out. Punjab needs a sustainable model of transition in agriculture. It should be cultivated in clusters. The Centre needs to step in for diversification and ensure better farm returns, just as in Gujarat.
On the industrial model for landlocked Punjab, he says it could manufacture high-value, hi-tech products that could be transported by air instead of looking for investors for setting up automobile manufacturing units that would prefer a sea port nearby.
“For a hi-tech hub, you need high-quality educational institutions in the state”.