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Bhagwant Mann fires back, questions Centre’s criteria for appointment of governors
The war of words between Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit and chief minister Bhagwant Mann intensified on Tuesday with the latter questioning the ‘criteria’ adopted by the Centre for appointment of governors.
Chandigarh: The war of words between Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit and chief minister Bhagwant Mann intensified on Tuesday with the latter questioning the ‘criteria’ adopted by the Centre for appointment of governors. Simultaneously, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party launched an offensive against the governor and urged the Centre to shift him immediately.
Mann’s strongly worded letter in Punjabi came a day after the governor questioned him on the process of selecting 36 government principals for a training seminar held recently in Singapore, saying that he had received complaints about “malpractices.”
“Before asking the state government to explain the criteria for sending principals to Singapore, the governor must explain the qualifications being adopted by the Government of India for appointing a person to this coveted post,” the chief minister wrote.
“The people of Punjab want to know on what basis the central government appoints governors to various states in the absence of any fixed qualifications laid down in the Constitution. Please increase the knowledge of Punjabis with a reply,” the letter added, indirectly questioning Purohit’s credentials for the post he holds.
Earlier, at a session for new MLAs, Mann said only “the elected” should take decisions and those who are “selected” should not interfere – a dig at the governor without naming him.
Later, Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang accused Purohit of working at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party and demanded that he should be “immediately” shifted out of the state.
Purohit had on Monday alleged that Mann “never cared to reply” to his letters in the past, and told the chief minister that people did not elect him to run the state according to his “whims and fancies” and that as per the Constitution, he is “bound to furnish” any information sought by Raj Bhavan.
He asked Mann to reply to his letter within a fortnight, failing which he would seek legal advice for further action.
Apart from alleging lack of transparency in selection of principals for Singapore training, governor had questioned promotion of Punjab-cadre IPS officer Kuldeep Singh Chahal who was removed as Chandigarh SSP; presence of a non-appointee of the government, Naval Aggarwal, in meetings of senior officers where sensitive matters related to country’s security were discussed; non-disbursal of scholarships to 2 lakh SC students and ‘Illegal appointment’ of Satbir Singh Gosal as PAU V-C.
The ties between the governor and Mann have been frayed since September last year when Purohit withdrew permission to the AAP government to convene a special session of the assembly for a trust vote. A political slugfest had erupted then with the AAP leadership crying foul and calling it a “murder of democracy”.
