Reservation politics will divide India, says Bhai Mahavir

Bhopal, July 22 (UNI) Former Madhya Pradesh Governor Dr Bhai Mahavir has strongly criticised the politics over reservation saying the Centre's eagerness to continue reservation and appeasement policy will further divide the country.

The present drive for reservation was motivated by vote-bank politics and it should be ended for ever to maintain the country's unity, he told UNI here.

Though Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has a clean image, steps taken by few of his cabinet colleagues to pursue reservation have caused heart-burning for the first time in the academic fraternity, the former Governor said.

Things have reached such a stage that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's cabinet colleague Mohammad Azam Khan even raised the demand for a separate state for Muslims, he pointed out.

''Those in power since independence had caused considerable harm by dividing the society on caste and religious lines and the reservation issue had widened the divide'', Dr Mahavir said.

Dr Mahavir, who was MP Governor from 1998 to 2003, admitted to having certain differences with then Chief Minister Digvijay Singh on higher education and certain political issues. At one time, he had even made up his mind to send a strong letter to the Chief Minister, Dr Mahavir added.

The former Governor said first half of his tenure went on smoothly, but certain unpleasant situation arose later, but he did not pursue it.

The state government had refused to provide an aircraft to him on few occasions, forcing him to unilaterally decide against travelling by air, Dr Mahavir revealed.

Claiming that he had never functioned as a mere ''rubber stamp'', he said in the present circumstances, the Governor, by exercising his powers with due diligence, could play an important role without becoming a rubber stamp. ''The Governor should exercise his powers in the event of collapse of law and worsening of law and order situation'', Dr Mahavir said.

The Constitution had provided wider powers to the Governor and it could be properly used for the state's development and betterment of the people, he observed.

On the controversial action of then Bihar Governor Buta Singh, amid volatile political situation, he said it was then felt that Mr Buta Singh was functioning on the dictate of the Centre.

''During my tenure as Madhya Pradesh Governor, I have never taken a decision under pressure from the Centre or others. I have pride in it'', Dr Mahavir said.

UNI PKJ-SP 1324