CHENNAI: The orders of Governor Banwarilal Purohit that non-vegetarian food should not be cooked or consumed within bungalows attached to his official residence have started evoking mixed reactions from various quarters. Purohit though is not the first Governor to do so; one of his predecessors Prabhudas Patwari had issued stricter directives during his tenure four decades ago, between 1977 and 1980.
Patwari had also set the precedent for meeting officials in districts as well as interacting with people, particularly the Dalits. But at that point in time, no political colour was given to the actions of Patwari, a true Gandhian in letter and spirit. He used to visit at least two or three districts a month.
Patwari was very active in persuading social organisations to adopt villages to start small-scale industries there. He also ensured that nationalised banks offered loans to poor farmers. When Tamil Nadu faced a severe cyclone in 1977, he toured his native State Gujarat and collected `1 crore as aid for Tamil Nadu. Besides, he played a key role in propagating prohibition in the State and said he would try to persuade the neighbouring states to keep areas bordering Tamil Nadu dry.
After taking charge as Governor, Patwari ordered that no non-vegetarian dishes be served and no cigars and cigarettes be offered at Raj Bhavan parties. There was no exception even in the case of foreign guests staying at Raj Bhavan. Patwari sincerely felt that serving these items were against Gandhian principles. However, there was no bar on visitors lighting their own cigars and cigarettes on the Raj Bhavan campus.
Former Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta, who had also served as secretary to former Governors Bhishma Narain Singh and M Channa Reddy, said, “The Governor is well within his powers to order that non-vegetarian food should not be served in Raj Bhavan.” Recalling Patwari’s example, Gupta said, “When former President Sanjiva Reddy visited Chennai, he stayed in a star hotel because Raj Bhavan was becoming a vegetarian bastion.”
Asked whether the new Governor’s orders have legal sanction, senior advocate R Tamil Mani told Express, “No doubt, Governor is the custodian of Raj Bhavan. Within his kitchen, he can direct what should be cooked and stored. However, he cannot restrict the employees of Raj Bhavan staying within the premises on what to consume because they have been given permission to stay there by the government.”
Asked whether the Governor can insist on Raj Bhavan visitors also eating only vegetarian food, Tamil Mani said, “It is not a question of legality. It is a question of preference and tolerance. Those who come to Raj Bhavan are guests. If certain things at Raj Bhavan is not agreeable to someone, they can stay away.”
Political analyst Tharasu Shyam said: “It is not good to impose restrictions on food habits. It is indicative of the attitude that vegetarianism is above other food habits. The Governor can impose restrictions on vegetarian food within his kitchen and not on others.”