Madurai: PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi) leader Dr Ramadoss today (Oct 26, 2004) charged the Tamil Nadu Governor P S Ramamohan Rao with having failed to discharge his constitutional duties with regard to various issues like the dismissal of Government employees during their general strike last year and giving his nod to the anti-conversion law.

He told reporters in Madurai that even the President, A P J Abdul Kalam had said that a Governor should heal the problem of the people of the State like a noble doctor. "But the Tamil Nadu Governor had never functioned like that."

In this context he referred to the Maharashtra Governor's query to that Government about the steps taken to resolve the drinking water shortage.

On the Tamil Nadu Government's reservations regarding the reported move to shift the Governor, he wondered why they were getting nervous about it. Ramamohan Rao, he said, had remained a 'rubber stamp" of the Government for the past three years.

He said whenever there was a change of Government at the Centre, it was the practice for Governors to be changed or for them to tender their resignations. Even now, five Governors were reportedly going to be shifted. "If that is the case, why should Tamil Nadu alone be so scared about the transfer of the Governor, while other States are not even worried about it? he asked.

The Constitution, he said stated that "the Governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the President" and that the State or the Chief Minister had no role in the appointment, transfer or dismissal of the Governor.