Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Helpless?

Sir, — This has reference to the report (Aug. 14) quoting the former President, K.R. Narayanan, as saying that the Gujarat riots had made him feel "sad, agonised and ashamed". Mr. Narayanan's feelings are understandable and one can readily empathise with him. However, what is less understandable is the fact that no President has chosen to exercise his undoubted moral authority over the Cabinet.

True, the President is bound by the Constitution to act on the advice of the Cabinet. But even the Constitution cannot make him act against his convictions and the dictates of his conscience in matters where he is convinced that the Government is treading a path fraught with danger to the nation's supreme interests. He has the honourable and dignified choice of resigning his post and going public on the compelling circumstances that left him with no alternative option.

Resignations from high public offices on conscientious grounds are not altogether unknown though one has not come across such actions in recent years.

G. Sankaran,

Chennai

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• Helpless?
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