Tags:
Journalism of Courage
PATNA, DEC 11: Bihar Governor Sundar Singh Bhandari wants the Centre to tell him how much longer he must suffer humiliation at the hands of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal RJD.
Sources close to the Governor say a brief letter has been sent to the President apprising him of the behaviour of the state government towards him.
Bhandari said in accordance with the 8220;demands of office8221; he would send the reports to the Centre 8220;for information and proper action.8221;
Asked if he would seek dismissal of the RJD government, Bhandari said 8220;it is something which has to be settled between the President of India and the Union Government8230;I will not say anything beyond this8221;.
Bhandari has reportedly had enough of the constant insults meted out to him by the RJD since the day he took office. He was upset with the Central Government over the handling of the crisis in Bihar and the abuse by Chief Miister Rabri Devi on December 8 appears to have been the last straw.
Bhandari8217;s grievances go a long way in the past. When Laloo Prasad Yadav was Chief Minister, he had performed the now-famous kerosene oil yagna, praying for Bhandari8217;s downfall. In fact, he was the first to call him langra lame Bhandari8221;.
In political circles, it is felt that whatever Rabri Devi said on Tuesday was not a spur-of-the-moment utterance but a well-planned move masterminded by Laloo himself. He was monitoring the rally over a cellphone from Beur Jail. He is said to have given instructions to go all out in attacking the Governor, the Centre and the media. Rabri, though, went beyond the script after getting carried away by the response of the gathering and used abusive language against the media.
Laloo too has abused the media in the Assembly once but later said he hadn8217;t and the speech was deleted from the proceedings.
BJP and Samata Party leaders say there is a common thread running through the utterances of Laloo and Rabri Devi. Samata general secretary Shivanand Tiwary pointed out: 8220;After being advised by Chandra Shekahr to maintain restraint in his utterances, he has passed the baton to his wife Rabri8221;.
They believe that the entire show had the blessings of Laloo and the belief has been reinforced by Rabri Devi8217;s refusal to tender an apology to the Governor himself. The job was passed on to her brothers, Sadhu and Subash Yadav, and the former Union minister Raghuvans A Singh.
In fact, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav also simply 8220;called upon the media not to do injustice to them RJD by getting carried away8221; sentimentally.
The unrepentant RJD8217;s principal general secretary Ram Kripal Yadav only gave previous examples of similar incidents, referring to a party 8220;having raised slogans of murgi chor hen thief against former governor A R Kidwai. The BJP insulted the President on the issue of his refusal to invoke President8217;s rule in Bihar,8221; he said.
Leader of opposition Sushil Modi, who was described as modia by Rabri Devi, said in a statement: 8220;Nothing much could be expected from a rustic lady like her.8221; He also ridiculed the argument put forward by Laloo8217;s aides who said her 8220;outburst8221; was a manifestation of her anxiety for her husband who is in jail.
