Chandigarh: Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit Wednesday said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had chosen to ignore his request to remove a tainted minister from his Cabinet apart from refusing to provide him information sought on important matters concerning the state.
Not known to have the best relationship with Mann, the governor further announced that henceforth he would not be using the state government’s helicopter to travel anywhere in Punjab.
In a press conference at the Raj Bhavan, Purohit condemned the manner in which the chief minister Tuesday ridiculed the office of the governor on the closing day of the two-day special session of the Vidhan Sabha.
He added that the position of the governor was enshrined in the Constitution and its dignity had to be maintained at any cost.
Mann had launched a fresh and vociferous attack against the governor for interfering in the working of his government, accusing him of being an agent of the Centre specially deployed to trouble him. The governor had nothing better to do except write him “love letters”, he remarked.
On Wednesday, Purohit said that Mann chose to speak in a derogatory manner against the governor using the protection of the Vidhan Sabha. “Had he used the same kind of language outside the Vidhan Sabha, I would have ensured that the matter is taken to its logical conclusion,” he said.
Purohit said that he was wrongly accused of trying to interfere in the working of the chief minister.
“Every day, I receive over 200 representations of various kinds from the people seeking action. On the basis of one such representation, we found that one of the ministers in the cabinet is tainted and we asked the chief minister to remove the minister but he has refused to do so. It is up to him. But let me tell you because of that minister, the government has become a laughing stock,” he said, referring to Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s complaint of alleged sexual misconduct against Lal Chand Kataruchak.
Reacting to Mann taking a dig at him for using the official helicopter to travel, Purohit said that unlike several Punjab officers, he did not travel in the business class during a flight.
“Instead I choose the economy class to travel. My lifestyle is very simple. I have used the helicopter not more than 3-4 times and that too when I had to travel to the border. The chief secretary and the DGP also travelled with me. If that is to be used against me as if it is a bribe which was offered by the CM so that I don’t question him about the working of his government, then let me declare that from now onwards I will not use the helicopter of the Punjab government,” Purohit said.
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Asserts Governor’s Constitutional position
To Mann’s remark of “love letters”, the governor said that it was derogatory to the serious issue of seeking information from the government.
“He is free to call those letters anything but not replying to the letters is a violation of the recent Supreme Court order that had made it clear that the Governor has a right under the Constitution to seek information from the chief minister who is duty bound to provide that information. Not giving that information amounts to dereliction of the CM’s constitutional duty,” Purohit said, reading out a recent order of the apex court on a petition filed by Mann.
When asked if he would be moving a contempt petition against the chief minister, the governor said that he will wait for some time before he takes that step.
In response to a query about the Punjab government bringing about a Bill that divested him of his ex officio position as chancellor of all state universities, the Governor said that for him it was immaterial. “I am the Governor and I will remain till my tenure is over,” Purohit added.
The governor further said he would do whatever is to be done in accordance with the law and the Constitution regarding the Bills passed in the Vidhan Sabha. “My prime duty is towards the protection of the Constitution and that I will continue to perform,” he said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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