Be one of us, Governor

Reporter’s Diary

One of the things British commissioners did when they were appointed to a province was to learn the native language and try to assimilate into the local culture and traditions. But it has been a different story with the Governors of states post-Independence -- a post which is anyway a vestige of the colonial era. Especially so with Governors of Karnataka, with almost none of them making an attempt to learn Kannada. However, the recently appointed Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has endeared himself to the people by tweeting in Kannada from his very first day in office.

His predecessor, Vajubhai Vala, who could not utter a word of Kannada even after spending about seven years in the state, was instead accused of furthering the Hindi cause. He insisted that copies of his address to the joint session of legislature in Hindi be distributed among elected representatives, though most of them are not familiar with the language. Traditionally, only Kannada and English versions are circulated.

Fortunately, Gehlot is familiar with Karnataka as he was the BJP’s in-charge of the state in the early 2000s. During one of his visits, Gehlot had injured his head after a bad fall in the Kumara Krupa guesthouse, recalls party old-timer Prakash Sesharaghavachar who had then rushed him to hospital. He has lived not only to tell the tale, but to return to the state as Governor a decade later.

Though Governors have a limited role to play as they are bound to act on the aid and advice of the council of ministers, except in areas where they enjoy certain discretionary powers, former President APJ Abdul Kalam had demonstrated how even those holding gubernatorial offices can play an inspiring role within the confines of constitutional limitations. Gehlot, hopefully, will make an effort to become a ‘people’s Governor’, unlike the previous incumbent who had virtually quarantined himself within Raj Bhavan during his entire term.

As the Chancellor of the state universities, the Governor enjoys some independent powers. Gehlot should spare no efforts to restore excellence in higher education, which has plummeted over the years. One of the main reasons for that is the political interference in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors and other members of academic bodies, with extraneous considerations often taking precedence over merit. This calls for the Chancellor’s urgent intervention.

Raj Bhavans have turned into white elephants, and the ostentatious lifestyles of Governors with their armies of butlers, servants, helpers and aides can put even erstwhile maharajas to shame. Khursheed Alam Khan, who was the Governor from 1991 to 1999, had, however, set an example by his frugal living, even saving on the budget allotted to Raj Bhavan.

When Khan assumed office, Raj Bhavan was saddled with a 15-year-old car. The government offered to replace it with a swanky new one, but the Governor would have none of it. When the car had to be ultimately replaced, he opted for another 16-year-old vehicle which was previously used by former chief minister R Gundu Rao. While Governors are usually allotted the latest model Mercedes, Khan’s successors, too, opted for less expensive cars. Vala, however, preferred a Rs 80-lakh Merc, which was later upgraded to an SUV costing more than Rs 1 crore. Gehlot should put an end to such wasteful expenditure.

While the Sarkaria Commission describes the Governor as the “lynchpin of the constitutional apparatus of the state,” many of them have been reduced to agents of the ruling party at the Centre. Karnataka, however, has been fortunate to have had some excellent Governors, save a few, and one hopes Gehlot will keep the flag of Raj Bhavan flying high.