Chennai: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said Governors of states are not “political parallel power centres”, adding their duty was to be a “mentor and thought leader” to guide the government and the people.
“Today the Governors in India are constitutional representatives. They are not some political parallel power centres. In our democracy, he is a ceremonial head”, he said.
In his address at Raj Bhavan here after presiding over a book release event and dedicating a solar power plant, the Vice President said a Governor cannot “interfere” in the regular functioning of a government.
“In our democracy he (Governor) is a ceremonial head. Only the ministry has true powers. You have to understand the Governor’s powers and limitations. Without knowing the Governor’s powers and limitations if you come with your own expectations and then get disappointed, nobody can help you,” Naidu said.
He was speaking at the event organised to release a book titled “Those Eventful Days” on Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao’s stint in Tamil Nadu while holding its additional charge since September 2016 till last month.
Naidu said Rao had discharged his responsibilities during his tenure to the ‘maximum satisfaction of the Constitution.’ “Some people may be happy, some people may be unhappy, but you cannot make everybody happy as you have to act as per the Constitution,” Naidu said.
During Rao’s stint in Tamil Nadu, the state witnessed a spate of political twists and turns following the hospitalisation of then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on September 22, 2016 and her subsequent death in December last.
Making clear he did not wish to comment directly on the political happenings in Tamil Nadu, the Vice-President expressed desire to see a stable government in the state.
Naidu, who inaugurated a Rs 4.5 crore solar power plant to meet Raj Bhavan’s power requirements, said the world was now moving towards renewable energy. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking an initiative in this regard, India was leading from the front on solar power, he said.
On the Prime Minister’s policy of “reform, perform and transform,” Naidu said a “big” transformation was taking place and urged the Central and state governments to join hands to take the country forward. He said once elections are over, people should forget politics and focus on development and good governance. For that the central government and state government should work together, he added.
The leadership of the country should focus on important issues such as poverty eradication, empowering women, ending untouchability among others, he said and rued instances of members of certain sections still being denied entry into temples.
