MADURAI: A day after Tamil Nadu governor R V Arlekar met senior district officers in Madurai, state law minister R Nirmal Kumar said Lok Bhavan had no authority to review administrative works and instructed officials not to participate in such exercises.“Administrative powers to review govt work rest solely with the elected govt and its representatives. Governor has no legal authority to summon officials or conduct reviews of govt schemes. Officials should not participate in any such exercise without the state’s approval,’’ Nirmal Kumar told the officers during the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting in Madurai.The fresh confrontation between the governor and the state govt — the first since TVK assumed charge — has broken out after Arlekar met Madurai collector Nishant Krishna, city police commissioner S Rajendiran and district superintendent of police N Devanathan at the Circuit House in Madurai on Thursday.While the officers said in a statement that their meeting with Arlekar was a ‘courtesy call’, DMK alleged that governor was interfering in administrative work and condemned the TVK govt for ‘allowing it’. “By allowing the governor to carry out review, it has become clear that they have compromised state rights. Is the ruling party, which illegally indulges in panic-buying opposition MLAs, allowing the governor’s inspection out of anxiety that he might otherwise take action?” said leader of opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin.Arlekar’s remark at an event prior to the meeting expressing concern over the plight of river Vaigai also drew criticism. Arlekar had said that Lok Bhavan would step in to clean Vaigai if adequate measures were not taken to protect the river.Taking exception to Arlekar’s ‘meeting’ with officers and his statement on Vaigai, Nirmal Kumar said the governor has no such authority. “What exactly can Lok Bhavan achieve by stepping in? Is the governor going to enter the field himself, pick up a spade and do the work?’’ he asked.Nirmal Kumar said the work for desilting and restoration of Vaigai was awaiting environmental clearance from the Union govt and once approvals were obtained, the work will begin.Madurai MP Su Venkatesan also criticised Arlekar, stating that DISHA committees and people’s representatives alone were empowered to review centrally sponsored schemes at the district level. He said that officials owe an explanation if they participate in any ‘unauthorised review meetings.’Defending Arlekar, BJP spokesman Narayanan Thirupathy said the governor had only highlighted a pressing environmental issue and appealed for public participation in restoring Vaigai. As a constitutional authority, the governor has every right to call attention to urgent civic and environmental issues affecting the people, he said. “The minister’s (Nirmal Kumar) remark only reflects the insecurity of the TVK govt,” he said.A similar controversy broke out when former governor Banwarilal Purohit held district-level review meetings with officials in 2017 when AIADMK was in power. The govt-governor tiff intensified when former governor R N Ravi held a meeting with officials from universities.
