States: Uttar Pradesh; On His Own Trip

India Today
October 19,1998

UTTAR PRADESH
On His Own Trip

The UP governor's excessive interest in government schemes raises eyebrows.

By Farzand Ahmed

Suraj Bhan Till just a few months ago, the Lucknow Raj Bhavan was a symbol of the "high life" reflecting the personality of the flamboyant "Laat Sahib" Romesh Bhandari. It also held the dubious reputation of being a centre of intrigue and conspiracy. Not any more. The current incumbent, Suraj Bhan, has transformed the place and is now busy changing the role of the governor itself. Undaunted by the clashes between the governor and the chief minister in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, he is keeping a close watch on the functioning of the Kalyan Singh Government. If this has not led to any confrontation so far, it is primarily because Uttar Pradesh has a BJP government.

Ever since the former BJP leader from Haryana moved into the Raj Bhavan in May, it has undergone a metamorphosis. Gone are the days when distinguished guests at the governor's official residence were offered champagne and Campari. Now the invitees have to settle for sherbet or even milk. Instead of live orchestra, the complex now reverberates to the sounds of Ram dhun in the mornings. As for the man himself, instead of being followed by caddies on the golf course, Bhan's day begins with a long walk, a brief visit to the temple and the mazar in the Raj Bhavan compound and then to the in-house cowshed to feed his cows.

However, beneath the rustic appearance and earthy lifestyle is a shrewd man quite adept at handling difficult situations while keeping aloof from inter-party politics. He displayed this ability on September 19 when some 100 Samajwadi Party (SP) legislators, led by state unit chief Ram Sharan Das, sought an audience with him demanding an extension of the special state Assembly session on the Uttaranchal Bill. Bhan heard the legislators out and then explained politely: "The legislature already in session is the master of its own proceedings. Why don't you move a motion to seek the extension of the session?" Speechless for a while, Das and his partymen then requested him to at least endorse their memorandum in this connection. But the governor expressed his inability to interfere in the working of the legislature. The delegation left satisfied. Unlike his predecessor, Bhan made no effort to exploit the situation in favour of one party or the other.

However, his keenness to avoid controversy doesn't mean he is happy being a rubber stamp to the state Government's decisions. On the contrary, in the past six months he has done things that governors are not supposed to do. A Dalit himself, Bhan has been taking a keen interest in the programmes for Dalits and minorities-rather uncharacteristic for a governor. Much to the chagrin of the Government, he has decided to appoint an officer to monitor the filling up of reserved vacancies in government departments. He has also directed the Government to restore the reservation of 21 per cent posts for Dalits in a police station-a scheme launched by BSP leader Mayawati and discontinued by Kalyan a year ago.

These actions have not only raised eyebrows in the administrative circles but also invited Mayawati's ire. She has charged that Bhan is using his position to make inroads into the BSP's votebank while the Kalyan Government was "pursuing anti-Dalit policies". In response Bhan only says, "I have all sympathy and respect for her. But as governor I can't talk or think about Dalits only."

Bhan created a flutter in political circles on September 9 when he decided to examine the progress of developmental schemes in the state. To pre-empt any criticism, the governor clarified that his actions had the consent of the chief minister. "I am not trying to be a parallel chief minister. I am only trying to help him build a modern state."

So far Kalyan has been taking the governor's interest in the right spirit. The chief minister feels the feedback on various schemes from a responsible person like Bhan would help speed up the system. A state minister, however, raises the possibility of a confrontation in case the governor becomes too intrusive, as is the case in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. If that happens, one may witness the unusual spectacle of a BJP government fighting a BJP appointee in the Raj Bhavan.

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