Gupta Leaves Decision On Bhandari To Gowda

Union home minister Indrajit Gupta yesterday raised the debate on the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh above crime statistics and the fate of UP Governor Romesh Bhandari, to focus it on political anarchy, social chaos and the destruction of economic forces and democratic institutions in the state.

Replying to a short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the law and order situation in UP, he said it was upto Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda to decide on Bhandaris fate and chose to ventilate his angst at the surge in communalism, caste and criminalisation in UP.

Saying that the extent of crime in the state was shocking and horrifies the people, he said that the crime was just a symptom of a deeper malaise.

The veteran Communists strong words made some of his cabinet colleagues uneasy. One of them even said Gupta was in such an angry and combative mood that he might resign.

The Prime Minister wants to wait a few months before removing Bhandari but Guptas speech may set the stage for a clash within the United Front on the kind of casteist politics Front leaders like defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Janata Dal President Laloo Prasad Yadav have thrived on.

Mulayam Singh is already in the thick of the controversy, since he is Bhandaris mentor. Mulayam Singh and his political lieutenant Amar Singh have publicly defended Bhandari over the past week.

Expressing concern over the impending doom the state is heading towards, Gupta said a change of Governor alone would not improve the situation. He spoke of an action plan to improve the situation in UP and said the state government had promised to implement it.

Politically, his speech targetted a range of parties, including the BJP. He traced the geneology to the present deterioration in law and order situation to the fall of the Babri mosque on December 6, 1992 and the consequent communalisation of society. We are paying the price for the biggest single act of vandalism, he observed. BJP members promptly staged a walkout.

The crux of Guptas solution revolved around the failure to instal an elected government. In the consequent political uncertainty, criminal elements had flourished, he held.

He called upon all political parties to break the political deadlock and try to form an elected government.

I personally do not believe that the Governors rule can be a substitute for an elected government, he said, adding that it had various checks and balances. The policy of continuing with Presidents rule and not allowing the BJP or BSP leader Mayawati to be installed have been authored by Mulayam Singh.

Gupta eloquently dealt with Congress leader Pranab Mukherjees query about the lack of coherence among cabinet ministers on the UP situation. Admitting that there were differing voices in the cabinet, he said it was one of the misfortunes this coalition government was facing. He hoped that such things would be rectified through experience.

Mukherjee had expressed concern over the different voices from cabinet ministers over UP and said that cabinet ministers were oblivious of their collective responsibility.

He said that this went against the spirit of the Constitution and the established convention of the past 50 years.

Mukherjees points were perhaps anticipated by Guptas cabinet colleagues well in advance and they appeared to be working to put a united face. Mulayam Singh, one of the first to appear in the house for the discussion, constantly talked with Gupta in the front row of the treasury benches. Seven of Guptas cabinet colleagues, including Gowda, were present. Gowda came midway through Guptas reply.

Other members, cutting across party lines, painted a grim picture of the law and order situation in UP and pointed out the constitutional improprietary of Bhandari going to the press to contradict the home ministers views.