UP Gov stays mum on comments by SP leaders

On Wednesday, the resolution of the Samajwadi Party had mentioned that governors should not take the role of a chief minister during its national convention in Lucknow. SP leader Naresh Agarwal had also made a comment on Ram Naik, calling him “RSS agent”.

“I have read it all, but I would not react to the politically-motivated comments,” Naik said.

However, BJP took the issue seriously and condemned the statements. Party spokesperson Chandra Mohan said, “Governor Ram Naik has maintained dignity of his post and is working under his jurisdiction, but the Samajwadi Party government, which is going haywire, seems to have forgotten both political and constitutional courtesy.”

Naik, meanwhile, shared his decision to cast his vote for the Maharashtra Assembly elections through postal ballot to save government’s money on security, travel, food and other arrangements. Naik and his wife Kunda Naik are voters of Goregaon Assembly constituency in Mumbai, which would go for polling on October 15.

“I am duty-bound to vote. I came to know that at least Rs 1.5 lakh would be spent on travel and another Rs 50,000 on food and other arrangements as at least four persons would be required to go in advance to oversee preparations and ensure that we vote there. Moreover, we are under Z-plus security and even police would have to make lots of arrangements,” Naik said.

He further added, “I am entitled to postal vote as a governor and so I decided to use this right to save time as well as over Rs 2 lakh of government money. This way, I can also save two days to work here.”