Guv “partially changes” three-district visit plan
MUMBAI: A day after the state said that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s review meetings in three districts in the state is an “encroachment on the rights of the government”, the Raj Bhavan made “partial modification” to his schedule and renamed his “review meetings” as “meetings”. The government is viewing this as Raj Bhavan’s backdown after Maharashtra chief secretary’s visit to the Governor’s House.
While the rest of his engagements remain the same, Raj Bhavan has changed the venue of the meetings. Earlier, all “review meetings” were slated to be held at the collector’s office in the three districts. In the revised schedule, the Governor has asked district officials to come to the circuit house in Nanded and Hingoli, and at Scientist Bhawan rest house in Parbhani, where he will stay. State minority and skill development minister Nawab Malik said the government has no objection to his meetings, but he can’t hold review meetings of the administration.
A senior Raj Bhavan official said, “It is a minor change, it would not be correct to say the change has been made following the government’s displeasure. The changes have been made as the Governor, given his post, cannot go to district headquarters to meet officials. The meetings, however, are informal over tea.” The official did not wish to be named.
Malik, who led the charge against Koshyari on Tuesday, said, “We only objected to his review of the administration, which he cannot do. He can meet district officials if he pleases. Anyway, these officials will remain present as per protocol during his visit.”
Asked if the pressure from government has led to change in the plan, he said, “After chief secretary visited Raj Bhavan, they must have understood the technicalities and modified the plan.”
Even as Koshyari continued with his three-day tour of central Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena attacked the governor saying he must not create hurdles for the government for political motives. Sena leader Sanjay Raut added that governors should support the government and not attempt to pull it down. He said that governor’s interference is seen in Maharashtra as well as West Bengal.
Raut attacked Koshyari saying that governor administered oath to the government and therefore he “must not block it for political gains.” In a veiled attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he also asked if the governor is acting on behalf of somebody else. “Whether it is the appointment of 12 MLCS or MPSC recruitments, such kind of blocking is political pressure. It is seen that governors interfere in the state government’s duties in Maharashtra and West Bengal. The governor definitely has the right to take stock of the development work, but there is no need to tour villages for that,” Raut said in New Delhi.
BJP leader and leader of opposition in legislative council Pravin Darekar said, “Since the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government came to power, they have painted a picture of MVA versus Centre and government versus governor. This is done to hide their failures. The governor is the head of universities and has the right to hold events. If he holds meetings with district officials out of feeling of guardianship, what is wrong in it?”