Governor for T.N.

Sir, - This refers to Harish Khare's news analysis `Why no Governor yet for Tamil Nadu' (Nov. 16). It has been stated that Tamil Nadu has not accepted Mr. S.S. Barnala and that this ``implied that the last time Mr. Barnala was the Governor of Tamil Nadu he was suspected by some to be sympathetic to the LTTE''.

This is an insinuation against one who is highly respected. It was widely known that when Mr. Barnala quit as Tamil Nadu Governor in January 1991, he had to do so since he declined to oblige the Centre with a report recommending the dismissal of the then DMK Ministry. Had he obliged he could have saved his position. But, there was not even a whisper then that Mr. Barnala was ``sympathetic to the LTTE''.

The story about the Prime Minister having consulted the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. O. Paneerselvam, about the choice of Mr. Barnala sounds extremely unlikely. It does not stand to reason that Mr. Vajpayee would have thought it appropriate to have such a consultation with a Chief Minister who has been in the chair only for a few days.

V. Krishnamachari,

Mumbai

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