Arunachal Govt. says Governor not upholding constitutional dignity of his office

Itanagar, Dec.10 (ANI): The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has, in an unprecedented move, asked the state's Governor, J.P. Rajkhowa, to uphold the constitutional dignity of his office and to desist from pursuing activities inimical to the interests of the state administration and the people of Arunachal Pradesh.

In a strongly-worded two-page letter to the governor, Chief Minister Nabam Tuki urged the former to act as a father figure, guide and mentor to him and his Council of Ministers, rather than interfering in the day-to-day affairs of a democratically-elected government, and projecting it as "inefficient, incapable and corrupt".

In his letter, Chief Minister Tuki also pointed out that media reports have suggested that the governor has "written to the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) to stop various important projects and funds for state's people on the pretext of unfounded complaints from various politically-motivated quarters".

He further stated, "It is an open secret from the course of events that the high constitutional office of the governor is being misused by the state BJP and affiliated organisations who have been asked to prepare strategies and conspiracies towards dislodging the democratically elected GoAP."

According to the Arunachal Government, no stone is being left unturned "to create an unbridgeable divide within the Congress Legislature Party in general, and in the Congress Party in particular".

He also claimed that he had received information that some unhappy Congress legislators had reportedly approached the governor and told him that if the chief minister and his council of ministers are ousted, the governor will support such MLAs who express their willingness to vote against the government through a proposed no-confidence motion.

The letter states, "Not only are the activities at Raj Bhavan been aimed at the chief minister, but a similar move and connivance are being designed against the assembly speaker, thereby forcing 'BLIP MLAs' to move a removal motion against the speaker with the ultimate aim of engineering a defection within the CLP and dislodging the popularly elected GoAP."

Chief Minister said that there is a perception growing among the people of the state "that a parallel government is being run by Raj Bhavan."

"The action of directly calling commissioners and secretaries of various departments to the Raj Bhavan and them being asked to directly report to the governor has undoubtedly diluted the constitutional provisions, wherein, it is required to take any report through the chief minister, or the council of ministers. It is also a matter of serious concern that the same is being done without even informing the chief secretary," he said.

The letter further states, "It is reported that the governor has started interfering with the activities of the assembly superseding the office of the speaker by directly asking the secretary and other officers of the assembly to report to Raj Bhavan without due knowledge of the speaker."

Chief Minister Tuki said that "with all humility" he was requesting Governor Rajkhowa to uphold the dignity of his much coveted office as provided for by and under the Constitution.

He also reminded the governor about the constitutional provisions relating to the role and responsibilities of not only his office, but also of the offices of various other constitutional authorities as envisaged by the Constitution.