Sir — It is natural that the dismissal of Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal has drawn flak from opposition parties, more so from the Congress, since she was the party’s appointee. When Ms Beniwal was Gujarat Governor, she did not have smooth sailing with then Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress and its alliance partners have accused the NDA Government of political vendetta. When the Congress came to power in 2004, it had dismissed Governors. Article 156 of the Constitution does not lay down grounds upon which a Governor can be removed by the President. The Supreme Court has made it clear that a President can sack a Governor in case of bribery, corruption, treason and the like or conduct unbecoming of Constitution. The said four Governors were not guilty of any of the above.
The lame excuse given by the then Congress Government for dismissing these Governors was that they had long-time associations with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The RSS is not a banned organisation. It is ridiculous for the Congress and its partners to now say that the NDA Government led by Mr Narendra Modi has dismissed Ms Beniwal because of political vendetta against her.