The bad blood on display during the PM’s recent meeting with the DMs leaves much to be desired
Another unsavoury episode of calling each other names has erupted between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Though the Prime Minister displayed dignity in not responding directly to Mamata’s diatribe, his aides didn’t let go of the chance to take on the feisty Chief Minister. The issue snowballed from a recent meeting that Modi had called with the District Magistrates of 10 States, including the ones not ruled by the BJP. Soon after the meeting ended, a furious Mamata launched a frontal attack on Modi, alleging that she was not allowed to speak and that the 24 Pargana’s District Magistrate was given precedence over him. Claiming that she and the other Chief Ministers attending the meeting felt insulted, Mamata wondered why they were even invited to the meeting if the Prime Minister wasn’t willing to listen to their problems. While the BJP may have a point in its claim that Mamata had sought to interrupt the meeting, the fact still remains that “glorified clerks” like the District Magistrates cannot substitute people’s elected representatives. While the Government’s appointees derive their power from the official rulebook, the elected representatives are directly reflective of the people’s wishes.
Therefore, the BJP’s argument that the West Bengal Chief Minister had sought to derail the meeting is weak in that it is based on the assumption that a DM knows better than a Chief Minister. What actually is the point of the State leaders attending such meetings if they are not allowed to broach the relevant matters with the Prime Minister? At a time when the country is reeling under the second wave of the pernicious virus and the fears of a third wave unleashing itself on humankind are well nigh, the Central and the State Governments must stand united in tackling the COVID-19 crisis. Ironically, the meeting had been called to discuss COVID preparedness. As the unitary authority, the Centre is vested with enormous powers; it should exercise these with responsibility; it should not rely on these or invoke these to bypass elected State Governments to have its way. What has been called “cooperative federalism” is what is best suited to our vast and diverse county. The object of the exercise of this power, in fact all the cumulative power at the command of the authorities, should be public service and not personal aggrandisement.