Posts Tagged function in Chennai
Tamil Nadu remains a source of inspiration and strength for her to carry on the struggle:Meira Kumar
Posted by ganesh in Assembly, Chennai, Communication, Court, Culture, Departments, Information, Other, Public, function, government, programme on February 8th, 2010
Madras High Court Chief Justice H.L.Gokhale having a word with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar at a function in Chennai on Sunday. Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiappan.
Tamil Nadu remains a source of inspiration and strength for her to carry on the struggle for social emancipation and economic independence, said Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Sunday.
Addressing a function organised by All India Babu Jagjivan Ram Samtha Movement to felicitate her, Ms. Meira Kumar pointed out that though India had attained political independence, social emancipation and economic independence continued to remain a challenge to the country.
“You have participated in the freedom movement. At the same time you also fought for emancipation of society from caste system and discrimination,” she said recalling her association with Tamil Nadu since the days of her father.
Expressing concern over fragmentation of the Indian society on the lines of haves and have-nots and casteism, she said India was lagging behind economically despite its natural resources and calibre because of the fragmentation.
She also stressed the need to “dump” the baggage of the 17th century mindset to move ahead in the 21st century.
“The Parliament guarantees laws to transform and make an egalitarian society. But these laws will mean nothing if the mindset of those who are going to implement them remains unchanged,” she said.
Chief Justice of the Madras High Court H.L. Gokhale said Ms. Meira Kumar had possessed all the qualities to preside over the Lok Sabha.
“It is not an easy task. She handles it with great quality of patience and a smiling face,” he said adding that women in the country had high expectations of her.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiappan said Meira Kumar’s philosophy, convention and ideology would be a guiding principle for the entire country.
Former Governor of Orissa M.M. Rajendran, who presided over the function, urged her to take steps to ensure that the women’s reservation bill and Lok Pal bill would see the light of the day.
Former IAS officers V. Selvaraj and A. Balraj, Chennai Port Trust Chairman Subash Kumar, IAS officer Christudas Gandhi and president of the Jagjivan Ram Samth Movement M. Kuppusamy participated.
“ALAGIRI YET TO MEET ME”
Ms. Kumar said Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers M.K. Alagiri was yet to meet her on the issue of allowing him to speak in Tamil in Lok Sabha. Talking to reporters at the Chennai Airport, Ms. Kumar said so far Mr. Alagiri had not met her.
“I can take a decision only after meeting him,” she said.
Asked about the resignation of MPs from Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue, she said she would soon take a decision on it.
Pointing out that some of the resignations were not as per the required format, she said she had asked them if they were really keen on.
ime to give governors five-year term: P.C. Alexander
Posted by ganesh in Uncategorized on October 22nd, 2009
S. Muthiah, historian; Mike Nithavrianakis, British Deputy High Commissioner; Surjit Singh Barnala, Governor; P.C.Alexander, former Governor of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra; Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, Prince of Arcot and Andrew T.Simkin, Consul- General, U.S. Consulate, Chennai, at a book release function in Chennai
CHENNAI: The Governor may have a beautiful home, but he has no security over how long he gets to live there.
“It is a most unkind way of keeping such a high dignitary,” said former Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra governor P.C. Alexander, pointing out the paradox at a function to release a pictorial history book about “The Raj Bhavans of Tamil Nadu”.
While the Governor is appointed for a term of five years, he holds office “during the pleasure of the President”, according to the Constitution. “It is nowhere written when the President can withdraw his pleasure. It is nowhere written under what conditions the President will withdraw his pleasure…No signs are given to the Governor so that he can give in his resignation,” said Dr. Alexander, who himself had resigned as Governor of Tamil Nadu in 2002. “It is time, after 60 years of Independence, for this dignitary to be given the security of a five-year term.”
He also felt that there should be some method and criteria involved in choosing a new Governor, rather than the Prime Minister merely “nominating someone because he cannot be accommodated in the Cabinet”. Rather, Dr. Alexander suggests that a panel consisting of the Chief Justice, the Home Minister and three other eminent people must be formed to advise the Prime Minister in making a reasoned choice.
Politicians should not be kept out of the process, but they must forget their past political affiliations once appointed Governor. Similarly, they should not consider themselves employees of the Central government, and look to the Prime Minister for advice or direction, but rather, carry out their duties as impartial constitutional appointees, he said.
The current resident of Raj Bhavan, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala released the book on Wednesday, thanking the team headed by historian S. Muthiah who collected and presented the pictures and historical narrative. “The Raj Bhavan in Chennai is older than any other Raj Bhavan in India and its association with the Governors is said to be for about 400 years,” he said.
Mr. Muthiah noted that the Guindy Raj Bhavan, as well as the one in Ooty, once the summer home of the government, are also located on campuses larger than any others in India.
“No other Raj Bhavan in the country is in the middle of a forest,” he said. He also traced the other residences of the Governor over the years of the British Raj, from a small building on the parade grounds of Fort St. George, to the Government House in Chepauk, which was recently pulled down.
The Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, also traced the relations of the Governors of Madras with the Nawabs of the Carnatic, going back to the 1700s.
The British Deputy High Commissioner Mike Nithavrianakis and the US Consul General Andrew Simkin also received copies of the book, and felicitated the authors.
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