Uttar Pradesh Governor Romesh Bhandari says he is not thinking of resigning and feels controversies dog him only because he is a man of action. Asked if the adverse remarks against him by Union home minister Indrajit Gupta on his alleged mishandling of the states affairs and criticism in Parliament were not sufficient reason for him to quit, Bhandari shot back: Certainly not. Tell me why should I quit.He said he remained unfazed by controversies which, he maintained, were a creation of the media, and quoted his mentor, V K Krishna Menon, to say that they helped a person remain in the spotlight.
I dont mind being labelled as controversial, because controversies emerge only when one is a man of action, he said. You sit pretty and dont do anything, there will be no controversies. You take no decision, there will be no problems. Regrettably I am made as a man of action, Bhandari said.
The 68-year-old Bhandari, formerly Indias foreign secretary who has had controversial tenures as state Governor in Goa and Tripura, said : Let me recall what (former defence minister) V K Krishna Menon once told me while I was working with him - that he does not chase controversies but controversies chase him. And an aside, he said `at least it gives me publicity.
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After what has been seen as a massive troubleshooting effort within the Union cabinet, the home minister watered down his criticism on Monday and absolved Bhandari personally, after the Governor apologised.
Bhandari said the law and order situation in the state had in fact improved during his tenure and the home minister had referred only to the prevailing political anarchy in the state.
Bhandari blamed the media for blowing up the episode, and said the media had been distorting facts and manufacturing news against me.
From what I gathered from my initial talks with Indrajit Gupta, it was amply clear that he was referring to the prevailing political anarchy in the state. After all he is aware of the actual law and order situation here, he said. A comparative chart of the crime level during my period and the five preceding years will prove beyond doubt that law and order has in fact improved during my tenure in Presidents rule.
He said he had met Gupta to discuss the issue, and had been able to convince him about the law and order situation in the state. He did not give any clarification and I did not seek one. We are good friends and thats it, Bhandari said.
Reacting to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Behari Vajpayees suggestion that a parliamentary committee be set up to evaluate the overall functioning of the state during Presidents rule, Bhandari said: It is for the parliament to decide. Parliament is supreme.
The Governor, who is the constitutional head of the state, is appointed by the President to work strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. And thats what I am doing, he added.
Newspaper reports had said Bhandari was leading a lavish lifestyle in his official residence in Lucknow, the Raj Bhavan, and spending huge amounts of money on its renovation including building a helipad, a jacuzzi and other luxuries within the campus at government expense.
About the lavish expenditure on Raj Bhavan - two crores were not spent, as put out by the press. What was spent was only of the order of some Rs 35-40 lakhs, which was much less than what my predecessor had spent, he said. I did not build a jaccuzzi, I inherited one. As far as I am concerned, I have a balti (bucket) bath...my lifestyle is absolutely simple and straight, the Governor said.
It was reported in the papers that I purchased a bed for Rs 35 lakhs - let me tell you the bed that was bought for me cost only Rs 35,000. I wouldnt even know whether any bed in India could cost 3.5 lakhs, he added.
He said he had ordered the building of a helipad inside the Raj Bhavan because it would avoid traffic snarls and inconvenience to the common people which are caused when a Governors entourage passes by and traffic is held up for security reasons.
Instead of being applauded, it is considered as a luxury, Bhandari said. If someone else did it people would say what a fine thing he has done. I do it, it is a serious matter.
He rejected allegations that he was being unfairly supported by defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in return for allowing Yadavs Samajwadi Party to run the state by proxy.
This is again a canard being spread by my critics, who are bent upon twisting and turning everything that I say or do, he said. I am sure all this would not have happened and the media would have been quite pleased if I had sworn in the BJP.