It is in great sorrow that we return to the subject of the dismissal of Mr NT Rama Rao as chief minister of Andhra and the swearing-in of Mr Bhaskara Rao in his place on Thursday. We return to the subject because we are left with no choice but to conclude that the governor first asked for the resignation of Mr Rama Rao and then dismissed him when he still enjoyed the support of the majority in the vidhan sabha, that he hurriedly swore in Mr Bhaskara Rao as chief minister without seriously verifying his claim of majority support in the state legislature, and, indeed, that he (governor Ram Lal) deliberately refused to meet NTR’s supporters on Wednesday night and Thursday and verify the charge that Mr Bhaskara Rao’s list contained many forged signatures because he did not wish to face the truth. And we do so in great sorrow because these are the kinds of actions which undermine the very foundations of democracy.
It is hardly necessary for us to try and establish the facts regarding the governor’s actions. All reports from Hyderabad are agreed on them. Nor is it necessary for us to underscore the point that the governor has been more than ham-handed in his behaviour. He has violated every constitutional and political norm. We understated the case against him in our editorial “Dangerous Precedent” yesterday because we just could not believe that his performance was as ugly as it has in fact turned out to be. It bears no comparison with the Jammu and Kashmir governor, Mr Jagmohan’s decision to dismiss the Farooq ministry. As far as we can recall no governor since independence has ever behaved in so disgraceful a manner. All these are not debatable issues. Privately even Congressmen would agree that Mr Ram Lal has brought the institution of governor into total disrepute, however loudly they might shout in Parliament and outside in his defence. The pertinent issue now is what should be done to retrieve the situation to the extent it can be retrieved.
One of the casualties of Mr Ram Lai’s action has been Mrs Gandhi’s reputation for respect for norms. Her detractors have, of course, lost no time in concluding that he has acted with her consent, if not at her instance. This is a partisan view which can be disregarded in a sober discussion. But even her supporters cannot ignore the point that she can absolve herself of the responsibility for the performance of her appointee only if she is willing to get rid of him. There have been and can be genuine difference of opinion on whether the governor is essentially the head of state in the state in question or a representative of the Centre. But those who have argued that the governor must above all function as the eyes and ears of the Union government must agree in the present case that Mr Ram Lal has ill served New Delhi and should be sent away at once. On a partisan consideration Mrs Gandhi can be said to be in a bind. It can be contended that she cannot pack off Mr Ram Lal without jeopardising whatever prospect Mr Bhaskara Rao has of winning majority support in the legislature. But the Prime Minister owes it to the country to rise above such calculations, indeed, even on a narrow view of her and her party’s interests in the coming poll to the Lok Sabha, nothing is more important for her than to undo the damage Mr Ram Lal has done to her credibility. This will be worth more in terms of votes than any ramshackle and discredited arrangement in Hyderabad can ever be. Slowly but steadily a kind of a wave was developing in her favour in the past few weeks. Mr Ram Lal has reversed this trend. Only his removal can help restore it.
Thus we endorse the unanimous opposition demand for the Andhra governor’s dismissal. But the opposition’s other demand – restoration of the NTR ministry – is not a practical one in this form. What is practical and legitimate now is to insist that Mr Bhaskara Rao seek a vote of confidence in the next one week and not one month as ordained by Mr Ram Lal. And if he fails to win the vote, it would be in order to call upon NTR to form the government. It would be absurd to suggest that such a development will involve a loss of face for Mrs Gandhi. On the other hand, it will be a triumph for Indian democracy and a vindication of the people’s faith in her. Finally, developments in Andhra have settled the issue that a chief minister’s majority or lack of it must be tested on the floor of the House. Mr Ram Lal’s conduct has left no room for doubt that we can no longer depend on governors to discharge this responsibility.