The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Ex-President's claim

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Friday, Mar 04, 2005

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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Ex-President's claim

Sir, — Former President K.R. Narayanan has criticised former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his handling of the post-Godhra riots (March 3).

When Mr. Narayanan, as he claims, could not prevail upon the Government to allow the Army to open fire to stem the riots, he could have intervened or resigned in protest. Here is another proof that the President of India is only a figurehead.

C.V.K. Moorthy,
Kolkata

* * *

Sir, — I wonder why Mr. Narayanan did not make his advice to the Centre public. It would have put enormous pressure on the Government to act. Did protocol prevent him? His successor has shown us that public good takes precedence over protocol.

B. Shiva,
South Yorkshire, U.K.

* * *

Sir, — It has now become a practice for retired bureaucrats and heads of states to accuse the government of their times after retirement. Why did Mr. Narayanan not speak up or protest in 2002 itself? He was after all the President of India.

I. Aarthi,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — Differences between the President and Prime Minister are nothing new! Our firsts, Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru, had different views on the powers and role of the President.

Mr. Narayanan, a scholar and statesman, could not have concurred with Mr. Vajpayee, a poet and politician. But his belated criticism sounds like a disgruntled outburst, rather than the reiteration of a principled stand.

S.R. Devaprakash,
Tumkur, Karnataka

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