Thursday, August 25 2005 18:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Facing a growing demand for his recall, Bihar Governor Buta Singh today (Aug 25, 2005) said that he did not consider it wrong in writing a recommendatory letter seeking favour for a dalit railway official.

''I see nothing wrong about it. there is no code which prohibits a Governor from writing such letters if someone seeks his help,'' he told reporters adding, ''I am in the public life for the last 50 years and have handled over 15 ministries. I very well know the dos and don'ts of the high office I hold.''

Asked if he was aware of a vigilance inquiry pending against the officer prior to writing the controversial letter to railway minister Lalu Prasad seeking plum posting for him, the Governor shot back asking ''are you investigating me''?

He slammed the media, saying it had actually 'provoked' the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ally, the Communist Party of India (CPI), to launch a 'vilification campaign' against him.

In a letter to Lalu Prasad recently, Buta Singh had recommended posting the chief materials manager (South Eastern Railway), Vijay P Meshram, as controller of stores of central railway, kicking up a controversy.

Singh said that a TV news channel telecast an opinion poll which said that 92 per cent people in the state capital favoured his removal and asked the media persons ''Should I accompany you people to prove that how many supporters I have in Patna''?

To a suggestion that he was being projected as a dalit leader, he retorted, 'What is wrong in it? I have espoused the cause of dalits throughout my political career spanning five decades .I have done my PHD on dalits and it is due to my efforts that a dalit leader got to occupy the topmost office in the country.''

On the reported differences between his advisor Arun Pathak and Chief Secretary G S Kang over sharing responsibilities, the Governor said that things would be sorted out soon.