An impending showdown between the Centre and Telangana State over the issue of special powers to the Governor in respect of law and order has been averted with the Centre indicating that it had no intention of encroaching on the powers of the State. This indication was given by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh when a group of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MPs met him on the issue in Delhi on Thursday.
Mr. Singh assured the MPs that the Centre would not initiate any steps to damage the federal fabric of the country by encroaching on the rights of any State government. In respect of the raging controversy over the powers of Governor, the Centre would only try to implement the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, he said.
Last week, a directive from the Minsitry of Home Affairs, fixing norms on the special powers to the Governor threatened to snowball into a major controversy with the TRS members stalling the Lok Sabha following which Mr Singh assured to convene a meeting.
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Mr B. Vinod Kumar, leader of TRS in the Lok Sabha said from Delhi that the MPs explained to Mr Singh about the extraordinary powers sought to be conferred on the Governor including posting and transfer of even SHO-level police officers. Law and Order being the State subject, the envisaged role of the Governor was stoutly opposed by the TRS.
Mr Singh, who gave a patient hearing to the objections of MPs, made it clear that the Centre would not resort to any steps which would infringe on the rights of a State. The MPs describe the meeting as fruitful and hoped that the Centre would allow status quo on the issue.