NEW DELHI: Even as the sacking of Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal generated a political storm on the expected lines with the Congress slamming as a political vendetta, the NDA Government on Thursday stoutly defended the action, saying that the decision was in accordance with Constitutional principles and the approval of the President.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “The decision to remove Kamla Beniwal, the Governor is in accordance with Constitutional principles and conventions with the due approval of the President.”
Pointing out that there were serious allegations and the government has taken note of them before taking action, Prasad said that the President had decided over it after applying his mind thoroughly on it and such decisions were the privilege of the government.
Sources said that the Government had studied the reports of the state governments on three specific charges against Beniwal and the charges listed in a dossier sent to President Pranab Mukherjee along with its recommendation.
Sources said that Beniwal’s brief one-day stay in Mizoram after transfer, her frequent air travel as the Governor of Gujarat and her false affidavit in a land scam in Rajasthan were the three specific charges against her.
As the Gujarat Governor, Beniwal had challenged the Narendra Modi Government on a series of issues, including the appointment of a Lokayukta. Beniwal is the second Governor to be sacked after the removal of Puducherry Lt Governor Virendra Kataria.
Opposition parties have questioned the action against Beniwal citing the Supreme Court judgment on Governors. The Congress strongly criticised the government for sacking Beniwal and said that it was nothing but political vendetta since she took on Modi in Gujarat. “Beniwal was first transferred in a cavalier manner to a northeastern state and then removed. The Governors are constitutional authorities. They cannot be trampled upon or trifled with like this,” Manish Tewari said.