The Dignity of her Office

It is true that the LG’s office is relatively more “administrative” than a conventional governor’s. If a state or UT has the benefit of an LG with skills and accomplishments in a certain domain, as indeed Puducherry does with Kiran Bedi, the same ought to be used for the benefit of the state and its people. Unlike inter-party or intra-party rivals, the LG and CM do not compete with each other for electoral gains. In fact, Bedi’s claim to fame is due to her professional accomplishments, and herein lies an invaluable opportunity to redefine cooperative federalism.

Beyond the technicalities of being bound by the “advice” of the council of ministers, the governor has to finally render his/her “advice” only after ensuring its constitutional compliance from a prism of non-partisanship. Else, the import of punishing the government with a “return” or “review” of a file can only be explained in the calculus of morality. The brilliance of constitutional intervention in the democratic framework was exemplified by the late President K.R. Narayanan, who personified constitutional propriety in the most dignified, revolutionary, yet reformatory way. From “returning for reconsideration”, the files pertaining to the imposition of President’s rule (and succeeding in protecting the federal instincts), standing in line to exercise his franchise, to deftly working on presidential drafts and articulating views that often reflected opinions different from that of the elected government, Narayanan was constitutionally protectionist, reformist and action-oriented at the same time — this, without lowering the collective dignity of the will of the people that was manifested in the elected government of the day.

Certain genuinely apolitical interventions by the constitutional heads do run the risk of acquiring a political colour, given the different political dispensations in the state/UT and the Centre. However, commenting on the incumbent chief minister in one of her write-ups Bedi noted, “…and here comes the chief minister of Puducherry who decides to put a ban on use of social media in all official communications. He even threatens officers with departmental action if they do not drop out of the groups.” The point is beyond the inelegance of expression or the public mainstreaming of dissent — that is the individual’s prerogative. However, the tone and its public mainstreaming militates against reconciliatory options in a more civil, discreet and mature way. Such public grandstanding could potentially discolour even the genuine points of gubernatorial displeasure.

Bedi’s gubernatorial assignment requires her to adapt to the role in a manner that is less confrontational, and still not a “rubber-stamp” — in Indian democracy, the opposite of confrontational need not be conformist. In an era of extreme societal polarisation, divisiveness and vitriolic politics, there is a need to soothe the frayed nerves of the electorate. Such a healing touch can only come from the “conscience-keeper” of a state/UT, who is above the humdrum of political intransigence. Bedi has the intent, capabilities and options to deliver her stated promise to the citizens, and to her own talent, as long as she overcomes her own instincts.