Samajwadi Party up in arms after UP guv's remarks on law and order

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik’s remark that there is a need to improve law and order in the state today riled ruling Samajwadi Party which hit back accusing him of trying act like an “extra constitutional authority” and threatening to launch an offensive against him. On his views on the law and order situation in UP, the Governor said “I have talked to the chief minister (Akhilesh Yadav) time and again and when necessary written letters and from his side it has been said that efforts of all kinds are on to improve it”. Asked whether he was satisfied with the efforts of the government, he said “this is one subject in which it is not like work done in a laboratory. He will have to work continuously… I must also add that in other states also there is a need to improve law and order situation”. [caption id=“attachment_756015” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and UP CM Akhilesh
Yadav. PTI[/caption] Naik was interacting with the media while presenting a report of the three months of his work as Governor. Apparently unfazed by SP’s passing a resolution on constitutional limitations of Governors at its meeting earlier this month, Naik said it is his duty to provide all information to the people which was permitted under the RTI Act. To a question on SP’s resolution, the Governor said “…the ruling SP made some references to me which I read in newspapers… probably, it is a political comment and I will not say anything beyond this”. “The Governor is meant for ensuring that the state government works according to the Constitution …these are the days of the RTI and under that Act… I think it is my responsibility to make available all inforamtion on my own inspiration.. it is also in states’s interest…,” Naik said. Stressing that dialogue is an important part of democracy, Naik, citing an example, said in case an ordinance is sent to him for approval he needs to tell the government as well as the people what he is doing with it or else people will think it is lying with the Raj Bhawan. “Dialogue is an effective tool in democacy and I am doing it.. this is what I feel”, the Governor said. SP General Secretary Naresh Agarwal attacked Naik adivsing him to remain within his constitutional limit otherwise the party was ready for “hulla bol” (offensive) against him. “The Governor should remain within his limits. If he crosses his limit, SP is ready for ‘hulla bol’ against him”, SP General Secretary Naresh Agarwal told PTI. He said “the Governor should not act like a BJP or RSS worker and work within his constitutional limits.” He said that as per the Constitution, the Governor can only advice government and cannot give any directive to it. He said former Uttar Pradesh Governor TV Rajeswar had also “crossed his limit” when SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav was chief minister and SP had protested it with all its might. Another SP spokesman Gaurav Bhatia said it is not for the first time it has happened as earlier also such statements were made by the Governor. “He is trying to act as a parallel government… It is important that the Governor reads the judgement in SR Bommai, BP Singhal cases… Supreme Court judgements where the power of the Governor has been clearly laid down”, he said. “I would say the Governor is acting like an extra-constitutional authority… it is our humble request… that the Governor discharges the function within the ambit of the power given to him under the Constitution”, Bhatia said. State BJP President Lakshmi Kant Bajpai said Naresh Agrwal was attacking the Raj Bhawan to show his loyality to SP. “The person, who kept on changing parties, is attacking the Raj Bhawan to show his loyality. Such a person should not make any comments on the constitutional post”, he added. PTI