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UP governor again caught on the wrong foot

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh Governor Suraj Bhan was once again caught on the wrong foot on Monday when he threw open the doors of the Raj Bhavan for a function of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Initially, he said, "It was only the release of a journal." However, finding few takers for his explanation, he pleaded, "I was not aware that it was a RSS function."

The journal, Panth Sanket, is a weekly devoted to Hindu mythology and deals extensively with forgotten rituals and superstitions . It even promotes witchcraft in an oblique manner. Published from Lucknow, it bears the address of the local RSS headquarters as the place of publication and is edited by a veteran RSS functionary.

It was UP Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh who raised an objection. "I objected to the participation of the governor and also the use of the Raj Bhawan for a function which was a through and through RSS affair," Singh said in a press statement.

"When a government employee, even at the lowest rung, is not allowed to participate in any RSS program, how could the Constitutional head of the state be free to do so?" Singh asked.

Bhan's plea that he was not aware of the journal's antecedents fell flat as the palatial Raj Bhavan's Durbar Hall was packed with RSS workers.

On being asked if would have maintained his distance had he been told about the RSS' involvement beforehand, Bhan fumbled before hastening to say, "In that case, I would have given it a thought before making up my mind."

"As governor, I am not aligned with any party or organisation. If a similar request were to be made by a Muslim organisation, I would not turn them down. I keep my doors open to all," he clarified.

This was the umpteenth time that the governor was caught in a controversy . Barely a fortnight back, he was seen patronising a newly floated federation of Dalit government employees . This was preceded by his scathing attack against, what he termed as, the government's failure to implement the Special Component Plan (meant solely for Dalits) in letter and spirit.

This embarrassed the government so much that Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta had to send Chief Secretary Yogendra Narain to the governor to clarify matters.

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