President Kalam reminds Govs of their Rajadharma

[Guest guest]

Srinivasan Kalyanaraman <kalyan97@g...> wrote:

Thanks to Nagesh Kini for bringing this quote to our notice. From

this

usage of the word 'dharma' by HE Pres. Bharat Ratna APJ Abdul Kalam,

we can infer that the word 'dharma' means: responsibility, acting

positively to respond to the aspirations of the people.

 

Dhanyavaadah. Kalyanaraman

 

Go by Constitution, Governors told

 

Special Correspondent

 

Rise above partisan politics, says Kalam

Constitution provides a special role for Governor

It is a position with sanctity

A beacon of light in the affairs of the State

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TO MAKE A POINT: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam arrives to inaugurate

the Governors' conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, as Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh looks on. — PHOTO: PTI

 

NEW DELHI: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Tuesday urged Governors

not

to "remain caged in the confines of [your] political or any other

ancestry" and told them that their "dharma" was to "distil the best

of

aspirations of the people from the vicissitudes of politics."

 

Inaugurating the biennial conference of Governors at the Rashtrapati

Bhavan, he reminded them that theirs was a "mission of righteousness"

and wondered whether they could collectively say that "today such a

well intended position is upheld by each one of us?"

 

Without mentioning the recent controversies over gubernatorial

decisions in Jharkhand, Goa and Bihar, Mr. Kalam noted that "the

Constitution has provided for a special role for the Governor. It is

a

position with sanctity. ``The Governor's office is a beacon of light

in the affairs of the State. While there are many checks and balances

provided by the Constitution, the office of the Governor has been

bestowed with the independence to rise above the day-to-day politics

and override compulsions either emanating from the Central system or

the State system."

 

Exhorting the Governors to rise above the partisan politics of their

parent bodies, he warned, "if you continue to nurture certain

affiliations, many will hesitate in approaching you with suggestions

and problems. You will be isolated from a large number of people.

That

is not the purpose of the Raj Bhavan."

 

Besides the Governors and Lieutenant-Governors of all States and

Union

Territories, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh and Ministers are taking part. Dr. Singh and Mr.

Shekhawat are scheduled to address the meet on Wednesday. Union Home

Minister Shivraj Patil gave a presentation on internal security.