Ram Naik, Uttar Pradesh Governor
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik talks to Namita Bajpai about his three years in the state, his dream of seeing it turn into Uttam Pradesh and challenges he faced with the SP government. Excerpts:
On your three years as Governor.
There were certainly some challenging moments. I took all decisions in the interest of the state under the ambit of Constitution and stood by them as upholding Constitutional values is my top priority.
On the challenging moments.
My working style has always been issue-
oriented. When I was appointed Governor, I was seen more as a BJP or RSS man. Some of the steps I took were historical—such as making the previous SP government drop tainted names from the proposed list of MLCs. Another issue that created flutter and was finally settled by the intervention of the Supreme Court was that of the appointment of Lokayukta with a clean and apolitical image. I’m happy I took the stand and finally stood vindicated.
On Azam Khan against him.
I never found it imperative to respond to the likes of Azam Khan. If a leader like him condemns someone, the credibility of the person is automatically established. But statements given by Samajawadi Party national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav off and on caught my attention and I wrote to him over it. He responded by expressing his regret over giving such baseless statements in public casually.
On Yogi Adityanath’s government.
Four months is too short a time to evaluate the performance of a dispensation governing as huge a state as Uttar Pradesh. Give the new government six months’ and then start judging it. I also see a conviction in the new CM to take long-term decisions and implement them. He started off really well, and it is righty said, well begun is half done.
On being soft on Yogi Adityanath’s government.
It’s not so (laughs). The previous and the present governments are my governments. I still enjoy very cordial relations with former CM Akhilesh Yadav. But while Akhilesh ignored my suggestions on certain issues, the new CM has paid heed to them and took decisions on them, such as the announcement to celebrate UP Diwas on January 24 every year. His decisions on the CAG audit into Development Authorities of Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Yamuna Expressway coupled with the initiatives taken to nip illegal encroachments were taken on my suggestions.
On suggestions that were ignored by the previous government.
I had asked Akhilesh to bring a white paper on Mathura’s Jawaharbagh episode, which snowballed into a very big controversy. He ignored it. I think my BJP background was also a hurdle for him in paying heed to my advice. They were relevant issues which Akhilesh government ignored and later paid for it.
On the law and order situation.
Wait for six months and then be judgmental.
On his junior Ram Nath Kovind being NDA’s Presidential candidate.
I’m extremely happy both for Kovind and M Venkaiah Naidu. It’s a matter of pride and happiness for me that two of my junior colleagues have made it to the highest offices of the country.