Why no Governor yet for Tamil Nadu

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, NOV. 15. ``Sometimes not to take a decision is also a decision.'' This rule of prevarication was once attributed to that master of masterly inactivity, Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao, during his prime ministerial days. In many ways, the Vajpayee regime too seems to be subscribing to this rule.

For example, there has been no full-fledged Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation for more than six months. Dr. R.K. Raghavan had retired as Director, CBI, on April 30. Since then Mr. P.C. Sharma has been presiding over the CBI.

At least in the case of the Director of the CBI the Vajpayee regime could argue that its decision-making was hobbled by litigations in the Central Administrative Tribunal. But no such impediment, except its own indecisiveness, can be cited in the matter of finding a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu.

Ms. Fathima Beevi was made to step down on July 1 in the wake of the unsavoury developments related to the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi. The Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. C. Rangarajan, was given the additional charge of Tamil Nadu.

Since then, Dr. Rangarajan has periodically been gently reminding the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister and anyone else who would listen that he is not able to do justice to the additional charge. Every time he was told that a full-time replacement for Ms. Fathima Beevi would be found ``soon'', he was entreated to please bear with the Centre.

Finally, it seemed the Prime Minister and the Home Minister could agree on one possible name for the Chennai Raj Bhavan: Mr. S.S. Barnala, now the Governor of Uttaranchal.

On October 18, as it were, both Mr. Vajpayee and Mr. Advani were in Chennai, where both were on a ``private'' visit to the city to attend the marriage ceremony of the BJP president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthy. As per the protocol, the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr. O. Paneerselvam, was at the airport to see the Prime Minister off.

The Prime Minister and the Home Minister sought out the Chief Minister and extended to him the courtesy of consultation over the choice of Mr. S.S. Barnala as the next possible incumbent of the Chennai Raj Bhavan.

Mr. Paneerselvam is believed to have excused himself for five minutes; the two VVIPs thought that he had gone to consult the AIADMK general-secretary, Ms. Jayalalithaa. But that was it; there was no sign of the Chief Minister till the Prime Minister left Chennai.

And, soon, in fact that very afternoon, the Centre received a communication from Tamil Nadu, pointing out that perhaps Mr. Barnala would not be an ideal choice. It was implied that the last time Mr. Barnala was the Governor of Tamil Nadu he was suspected by some to be sympathetic to the LTTE. The Centre found itself caught on the wrong foot.

A regime that is making so much song and dance about wanting to fight ``terrorism'' cannot possibly make an issue of sending someone as Governor whom the State Government insinuates to be partial to a terrorist organisation.

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