Governors can stay on, decides Patil

When asked about other political appointees of the BJP-led government, he said not all governors fell into that category. There were former generals and intellectuals as well. Moreover, he said, he was not against politicians being appointed the governors.

Sources said the UPA Government did not want to attract any adverse publicity unnecessarily since the term of most of the controversial governors — including UP’s Vishnu Kant Shastri — was anyway ending soon.

About the deteriorating law and order situation in UP, he said even the Centre had received a ‘‘lot of complaints.’’ He was replying to a question on allegations made by Congress leaders, including MP Rahul Gandhi.

Speaking on POTA, the minister said: ‘‘The aim with which POTA was enacted has not been fulfilled. Even those who brought the law realised its shortcomings and tried to rectify them. There are adequate existing laws and should we see a need to strengthen them, we will do so.’’ On lifting the ban on LTTE, Patil said that ‘‘government’s policy will continue just as it did in the past’’.

When asked if the government was considering a dialogue with the Naxalites, Patil said that no ‘‘structured attempt’’ had been made as yet.

On bringing a comprehensive law to deal with communal violence — as is stated in the Common Minimum Programme — Patil said the government only had ‘‘some vague ideas’’ and that they would be working them out soon.