"After the slap it got, the BJP Govt won’t dare send the report again"

Fortunately, the democratic forces in this country are still alive, there are enough people who have genuine love with this country and democracy. It’s not only the RJD or the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha which has criticised the Centre’s action, the entire political spectrum, including allies of the BJP, has severely criticised it since it is clearly undemocratic. It is they who asked the President to prevent the misuse of Article 356 in such a fashion.

Article 356 should only be employed when the country’s unity and integrity are in danger, and I don’t think such a situation exists in Bihar. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which functions under the Home Ministry, places Bihar sixth from the bottom among low-risk states while in the BJP-ruled states, the situation is much worse. For example, Delhi and Rajasthan top among the high-risk states. The NCRB report, which we had also submitted to the President, clearly shows that the largest number of crimes committed under the IPC in 1997 occurred in Madhya Pradesh (12 per cent), followed by Maharashtra (11 per cent), Rajasthan (10 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (9 per cent). In Bihar, it was only six per cent. If law and order is the main consideration for favouring President’s Rule, then why don’t the governors of these states recommend President’s Rule? We don’t know what yardstick Bhandari used to evaluate the state of law and order in Bihar. I am sure he never asked the stateGovernment to send a report on the crime scenario. The manner in which he evaluated the law and order in the state and misguided the President must be investigated.

Who says he is the constitutional head of the state? He is an agent of the BJP and the RSS. He was sent to Bihar to dismiss the RJD Government and to spread RSS and BJP activities there. The day he took the oath of office, he turned Raj Bhavan into the party’s akhara. He has grossly misused his power and the office. He has no right (to be there) and should immediately resign from his post on moral grounds.

Ladai to bahut purani hai (the fight dates back many years). I believe that the war between me and Advani/BJP started the day he (Advani) was arrested in Samastipur. (Advani was arrested during Laloo’s tenure as Bihar chief minister on October 23, 1990, while hewas on his rath yatra). Since then, the BJP leaders manipulated things and have left no stone unturned to demoralise the Government on several fronts. After forming the Government at the Centre, Advani wanted to settle scores right away. But I am not prepared to oblige him. Wait and watch how we play the game.

So? What was wrong with that? We wanted to prove that the Government enjoyed a majority. It was necessary before we prepared for this battle. If the Governor as well as the BJP-led Government at the Centre have the right to hatch nefarious plots to sack a democratically elected government, then the Rabri Devi Government has the right to prepare a counter-offensive. We had information about the nefarious design, so the MLAs decided to vote for the Government.

Article 356 can be invoked only when there is a breakdown of the Constitution, mismanagement of administrative machinery or danger to national unity and integration. I don’t think after the slap it got on its face, the BJP Government will dare send the report again to President. But if they do it, we will see what is to be done.

It is true that I am not a member of the Assembly, but I am the president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and my party runs the Government in the state. You have the right to call me a de-facto chief minister but the fact is I have never interfered in the functioning of the Government. I give suggestions to my wife, the Chief Minister, on how to deal with situations, as and when she requires such advice.

The RSS is not a part of the Government but it plays a key role in its functioning. Without the RSS, not one file would move in the South Block today. Why?

They are perpetually dreaming of becoming the chief ministers of the state, so they are leaving no stone unturned to defame and dismiss the Government. They are rank opportunists, but who cares about them?