Delhi CM Atishi’s belongings thrown out from official residence, claims AAP
Manoj Punamiya Marking Milestones In India’s Real Estate Future
How an SIP calculator can help you reach your financial goals faster
Tips on Festive Eye and Lip Makeup Using High-Quality Products
Ratan Tata in critical condition, under intensive care in Mumbai hospital: Report
Mukesh Ambani once spent Rs 10000000 on his car only to get it...
Major setback for New Zealand as star player set to miss start of Test series against India
This train suffered Rs 6 crore loss since its launch, has 200-250 seats vacant daily, it runs from…
'Some ants are...': Harbhajan Singh's cryptic post leaves internet confused
Mastering the Art of Digital Transformation: The Journey of Rahul Saoji
This Apple watch feature saves woman's life, know how it happened
The Innovator's Journey: Ashok Choppadandi's Quest for Technological Excellence
Vedaa OTT release date: When, where to watch John Abraham, Sharvari-starrer action thriller
Hyundai Motor India Rs 27870 crore IPO: Check price band, subscription date and other details
Bhanu Devaguptapu: Navigating the future of health tech and enterprise solutions
Nobel Prize 2024 in Chemistry goes to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, John M Jumper
Breaking the Mold: BHP is Revolutionizing the Supercar Experience
Transforming Test Automation: Narendra Kumar Ale’s Innovative Approach to Integrating AI and ML
This man resigns on first day after joining office, says, 'repeated remarks about my…'
'It’s all about making that unique difference,' says director Ryan Shah
Meet IIT graduate who has joined Ratan Tata's company, to play key role in advancing...
Bigg Boss 18: Meet most educated contestant in Salman Khan's show; was threatened, attacked, jailed
Bigg Boss 18 Grand Premiere: PETA asks Salman Khan to surrender donkey
When Bigg Boss 18's Shilpa Shirodkar made a bold statement in support of sexy dance numbers
Video of leopard trying to enter safari bus after leaping through window goes viral, watch
'October 7 will never happen again': Israel Foreign Ministry vows to 'hunt' every terrorist
Malayalam actor T P Madhavan passes away at 88
Bangladesh Skipper Shanto takes a dig at India speedster Mayank Yadav ahead of 2nd T20i
EPFO to introduce instant SMS alerts to safeguard PF deposits from fraud
RG Kar case: CBI cites blood stain, DNA report as evidence in chargesheet against accused Sanjay Roy
Nagarjuna records statement in Rs 100 crore defamation case against Konda Surekha
Indian man swims 'butt naked' for two hours in Google Maps untraced Australian waterbody
Good news for UPI users as RBI increases UPI Lite wallet limit to Rs...
Mukesh Ambani's Jio offers mega plan, 2GB data per day, unlimited calls at just Rs...
Teacher faces backlash for giving extra marks to students for THIS reason
Woman in wedding dress rides sports bike viral video divides social media
PM Modi launches all-out attack on Congress, calls it 'parasitic party that...'
Baden Bower's PR Services drive EB1A visa success through high-impact publications
Vada Pav vendor claims to earn Rs 2.8 lakh monthly, social media says time to switch careers; watch
Top 10 Indian cities for UPSC preparation
A sweet revenge: BJP orders 1 kg 'Jalebi' for Rahul Gandhi, Congress workers after mega Haryana win
Influencer PERFECTLY copies Deepika Padukone's Singham Again accent, video goes viral
'Fate like Gaza': Israeli PM Netanyahu issues dire warning to Lebanon as Hezbollah continues firing
Omar Abdullah's BIG statement after winning J-K assembly polls, says 'whoever becomes CM...'
Not Anant Ambani but Mark Zuckerberg attended this wedding in India for the first time
'Kha gaye na dhokha'? This metro-themed Durga Puja Pandal is talk of the town! WATCH viral video
Meet man, who quit studies after school, learnt coding, established company worth Rs...
Bigg Boss 18 contestants Vivian Dsena, Chahat Pandey get into UGLY fight, watch video
Shares of this Mukesh Ambani company surged by 12000% in 60 months, market cap rose to...
RG Kar rape-murder case: Doctor’s association to hold nationwide hunger strike today
IND vs BAN, 2nd T20I Dream11 prediction: Fantasy cricket tips for India vs Bangladesh
DNA TV Show: Why Congress lost in Haryana Assembly elections
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 to not clash with Singham Again? Kartik Aaryan film might get postponed, says...
Devara box office collection day 12: Jr NTR film fails to recreate Baahubali, RRR magic; earns Rs...
Watch: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma flaunt their football skills, video goes viral
Assembly Election 2024 Results: INDIA bloc's first win in J-K, BJP retains Haryana
By raising Rs 17,600 crore, Anil Ambani set for a REVIVAL, here’s how
ANALYSIS
Gopal Gandhi’s tenure as governor raised many issues governing that high office. What kind of men and women should be sent to the Raj Bhavans?
West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi has demitted office after completing five years in office. His tenure was marked by a series of controversies, chief of which was his open criticism of the Marxists’ role in Nandigram. This was untypical of the gentleman that Gopal was.
If he did take the bold position that the ruling party was at least partially to blame for the bloodshed in the area, it must have been due to his sense of outrage. Naturally, his position on Nandigram aroused the ire of chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and his colleagues in government and outside in the party apparatus. But the non-partisan in the state and elsewhere knew how right Gopal was in his indignation. Bhattacharya’s subsequent admission — honest and transparent that it was — helped set the record right in favour of an outspoken governor.
Those in government thereafter went on needling him on trivial matters, as when they admonished him for announcing that, in view of the power crisis in the state, lights in Raj Bhavan would go off every evening for two hours. This was nothing more than a symbolic gesture. It was not gimmickry, but a sincere exhortation to the public to save on energy. The ruling party picked on him as if he was blaming them for the shortage of power. It was definitely a case of a pricked conscience and the unkindest cut of all to a man who was known for everything other than exhibitionism. True to his nobility, Gopal did not react at all.
Gopal is a rare breed of public servant who does not seek office or perquisites that go with it. Assignments — secretary to governor SL Khurana and President KR Narayanan, director, Nehru Centre, London and High Commissioner to South Africa — were indeed prize jobs. These came unsought because of Gopal’s reputation for balance and integrity. He spoke little even to friends like me. But when he did, one could see seriousness of purpose and an admirable objectivity. He had the great responsibility of upholding an enviable lineage, both of the Mahatma and Rajaji, his grandfathers on either side of his parents.
That was a burden lesser mortals like us could have hardly borne without a blemish during long years of public office. Gopal has come out of the test unscathed. He could have stayed on in office. He did not, obviously out of a sense of propriety. I was expecting him to be sent to Gujarat (where there is a vacancy), and if the government did decide to send him there, that would have been the appropriate place for the Mahatma’s grandson to end his glorious career.
Gopal Gandhi’s tenure as governor raised many issues governing that high office. What kind of men and women should be sent to the Raj Bhavans? What is their role vis-à-vis the state governments? It is an open secret that right from Independence the Centre had misused the prerogative to appoint governors, by choosing persons whom either the public had rejected at the hustings or those who had become inconvenient for the powers that be in New Delhi.
Some downright bad postings of men with a dubious reputation had been made in the past. Also, the job with enormous perquisites had been given to persons who had sought it. As a result,
postings had come with a price tag. The quid pro quo has taken the form of an unjustified recommendation for President’s Rule or a sanction of prosecution against a serving chief minister or denial of such a sanction, depending on what New Delhi wanted.
In a country surcharged with crass party politics, such considerations other than merit are natural. A sober and mature governor can bring so much good to a state’s governance, especially in the form of a cleaner administration of universities, an area that reeks with nepotism and corruption. Possibly, it is too much to expect choices like Gopal Gandhi to be anything other than an aberration that comes once in a way!