Raj Bhavan cites legal opinion, says Purohit can visit districts

“The executive powers of the state are vested in him. In fact, the same powers are available to the state, which are available to Governor,” said a statement from Raj Bhavan citing the opinion of former Advocate General of Maharashtra Shreehari Aney. 

Purohit had sought Aney’s advice in November 2017 after DMK raised objection following the Governor’s visit to Coimbatore to meet district officials. Aney cited constitutional provisions to say there was no illegality on Purohit’s part and advised him to ignore allegations of his interference at the behest of Central government. 

“It is a bald allegation unsupported by facts and whatsoever. In this absence of any factual basis, the allegation can and should be ignored,” Aney said. Responding to a charge against the Governor that there was no precedent for such visits, the legal expert had said, “As Governor of Assam he had held meetings with District administration there. He has declared his intention to do so in the present office. If the action is not unlawful, to say there is no precedent would have no meaning.” 

Backing the Governor’s action, Aney had said, it is the duty of the Governor to be acquainted with the true state of affairs of the territory he governs.  DMK workers had been staging black flag protests against Purohit during his visits to districts. 

Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar on Tuesday slammed the DMK for demanding a discussion in the Assembly on the activities of the Governor. He said that it was the DMK government which tightened the rules against such discussion earlier. 

Speaking to reporters here, the Minister said the DMK was speaking in different voices everyday. Reacting to the charge of Leader of Opposition MK Stalin that the AIADMK government did not allow the party to raise the issue of Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s activities in the House, Jayakumar said the Assembly rules framed during the DMK government did not allow such a debate. 

In 1999, when DMK was in power, the party had decided to tighten the Assembly rules under section 92/7 at a meeting. Earlier, the AIADMK during its tenure in 1994 had relaxed the rules to hold discussions on the activities of the Governor and held a debate in the Assembly, Jayakumar said. 

“The DMK closed the options of discussion about Governor’s activities when it was in power. Now, it is trying to reopen it when it suits them. The party is behaving in a contradictory manner,” the Minister said. He was responding to allegations by Stalin that a debate on Governor’s activities was allowed under AIADMK regime in 1994 and the same party had declined a discussion on Monday. 

Jayakumar also read out the rule introduced by the DMK government during its tenure. He said the Governor is an administrative leader and he was only involving himself in creating awareness on keeping the environment clean. He is visiting the districts for the purpose and it could not be construed as interference in the state administration and the media is blowing them out of proportions. 

When asked about the challenge to his party by film stars Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, the Minister said the AIADMK and DMK are like star football players Ronaldo and Messi and no other party could challenge them.