Today is an "Aha!" day for me. I really want to go hug my dearest but (unfortunately) communist friend for his party's stand on the post of Governor. It doesn't mean I hate my friend-I do hug him, celebrate with him, agree on him for many "non political issues" but today, I am happy to agree with him (or his party? same thing! Isn't it?, I have never seen a communist party member going against his party's stand). This is the kind of issues politicians should be raising in a time, where every body is trying to cut costs and make things efficient.
For many years, since I learned about the Indian polity, I always wondered-Why do we have Governors in the states? Being an engineer, tried to be logical, tried my ever best to find a value add and also looked back and found so many conflicts a Governor's post has created. For me, the Governor role serves following purposes and can be put under three categories:
1. To neutralize an active but controversial politician while the political dust gets settled. Asking somebody to drop out of Chief ministerial or a cabinet ministerial race or to pacify a sacked chief minister. Please note that this category generally applies to the state where central ruling party is not in power. So in other words, they are asked to divert all their negative energy from their own party to the party ruling the state.
2. To appease politicians who are not good enough or fit for a cabinet ministerial or a chief ministerial post but due to their seniority or to their closeness to "madam" or "prince" (the new designation in Indian politics). "Hey-you are so cool, so nice, so faithful! You can be a Governor". Point to be noted that this kind of Governor is sent to a state ruled by the same party as in the center. So it is something like “You are not fit for a cabinet post, you are unfit for a chief ministerial post and we are confident that you don't even have skills or guts to confront with our chief minister so just go and have fun!".
3. Sometimes you will see that some non political persons are appointed as Governors. This is either to prepare them for an entry to the party or to just have a temporary arrangement until they find somebody in any of the above categories, or if the ruling party in center itself has become very controversial and being blamed for dirty politics. This is also used to create some statistics to show that the central government is not biased and it’s intentions are good.
I am finding it difficult find another category so I will just stop here. Let us now look at the responsibilities of Governor.
*Sign papers without questioning as question of asking questions doesn't arise as most of the Governors are from Category 2.
*Inaugurate dams, bridges, railway stations, buildings, roads etc. I heard that recently there has been a huge decline in this responsibility as many people hesitate to invite anybody who has no role in funding for these projects.
*Distribute degrees at colleges/universities: If I am not wrong, a Governor of the state is by default chancellor of all the state universities. Once in an year, they have a busy schedule going to different colleges/universities, wear the weird looking gown and give degrees to people wearing the same weird looking gowns.
*Create conflicts between parties at center and state if they are not same and the Governor is of Category 1 or 3. These actions are generally driven by high command of the party in center and the Governor just becomes a puppet.
I am from the poor state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and I remember one Governor in UP around 1996, spent a huge amount of tax payers' money to renovate the Raj Bhavan (The Governor's house). I remember meeting this Governor and getting a picture with him at Naina Devi temple in Nainitaal-later on, I heard that he used to make frequent trips to Nainital (obviously using tax payers' money!) during summers as heat of Lucknow was unbearable for him. Similar stories are there about Governors spending lavishly and wasting the tax payers' money.
Let us also look at-What happens if we don't have a post of Governors. Let me think..........................................You know what I found? NOTHING! Even if we don't have Governor, center can have enough power or resources to monitor the state. They don't need an expensive/decorative head with not much power and value to the state. They can monitor the state thru a bureaucrat or thru their party's chief in the state. No need to spend millions of rupees on decorating Raj Bhavan, unnecessary security, inefficient and expensive protocols and all the overheads involved with the post of a Governor. Hope, some Governor reads this blog and thinks how he/she can assimilate his/her role to whatever I have written. Again, Kudos to CPM for raising this issue. I love you CPM for raising this issue (ONLY)!
Mera Bharat Mahaan!
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I used category-3 to describe those people- who would want to reward a "retired" bereaucrat if he/she is not going to join the party!
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Apart from the three categories you mention, there is a fourth category, of rewarding pliant and loyal retired bureaucrats ( IAS Officers). These days, the fine line betyween politicians and bureaucracy has blurred....
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Liked your non - politically raised Political issue!
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