Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has once again lamented discrimination against her and ill-treatment by the State government though she had been doing her duty earnestly from day one she held the post.
Addressing a media conference on completion of three years in office, Dr. Soundararajan deplored that the Governor’s office was not respected nor reports sought by it on various issues ever replied. “Raj Bhavan had become an untouchable place”
She targeted Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for losing a golden opportunity to resolve disputes with Andhra Pradesh government by not attending the southern zonal council meeting of Chief Ministers earlier this week. “Seventy five per cent of the agenda for the meeting was on Telangana - AP conflict and Union Home Minister Amit Shah was open to find instant solutions to issues that were listed. But, Mr. Rao skipped the event”.
“What is the problem with you in not attending?”, she asked and cited another instance where Mr. Rao did not attend the At Home hosted by her on Independence Day after having given the consent initially. “There is no message from his office whether he will come or not till the event got under way”.
Dr. Soundararajan said the discrimination against her in three years will not go unrecorded in history as it happened to a woman who held the highest constitutional office which demanded respect. It was fine if the respect was not given to her in personal capacity but the image of the institution of Governor was at stake.
She said the State government did not give her helicopter to fly to Sammakka-Sarakka jatara at Medaram when she asked for it earlier this year. When she took the decision to go by road, she was informed at the last minute that it would be futile to go because the ceremonies will close at 5 PM. Nonetheless, she travelled by car for eight hours to reach the temple at 4.35 PM. Having gone there, she was not given the protocol. The Collector did not go to receive her.
The government did not organise the Republic Day when it was celebrated all over the country this year. When the Raj Bhavan took the initiative to organise it, the Chief Minister did not come nor even the district Collector. Even the speech copy for the occasion was not sent. Setting aside convention, she said she went ahead with her own speech. “Should I shut my mouth?”, she asked when reminded by reporters that this actually set the ball rolling for subsequent conflicts with the government.
On her frequent meetings with public, she said it was the result of failure on part of elected representatives to perform their duties.
