Meghalaya Governor V. Shanmuganathan who resigned on Sunday following complaints of alleged sexual harassment against him, said in his letter to President Pranab Mukherjee that he was doing so on “health grounds,” a senior government official told The Hindu.
Mr. Shanmuganathan’s resignation was accepted by the President on Monday.
The official said that Mr. Shanmuganathan resigned at 9 pm on Thursday, hours after he took the salute at a Republic Day parade in Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar, of which he held additional charge.
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As per Article 361 of the Constitution, “no criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President, or the Governor of a State, in any court during his term of office.” Since removal was difficult and a tedious process, Mr. Shanmuganathan was asked to put in his papers, said an official.
Over 80 employees of Raj Bhavan in Shillong wrote to Prime Minister wrote to the Prime Minister and President demanding Mr. Shanmuganathan’s immediate removal as he compromised the dignity of the post.
The letter was written after complaints of sexual harassment against Mr. Shanmuganathan and employees alleged that the Governor has made the Raj Bhavan a 'young ladies club'.
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“We feel, he is demeaning the position of the Head of the State. He is rude, arrogant, temperamental, and untruthful. Above all, he has seriously compromised the dignity of the Raj Bhavan and unfortunately made the Raj Bhavan into a Young Ladies Club.
He is in the habit of telling lies. For example he went around telling people that he was alongside our great leader, Former President of India, Late APJ Abdul Kalam during his last breath in Shillong, but in reality he was sleeping in his bedroom and only after the call from the Hon’ble Prime Minister made him run to Bethany Hospital, Shillong, although, he was advised to visit Late APJ Abdul Kalam earlier. This is just an example; there are many such instances,” the letter said.
Mr. Shanmuganathan, a veteran Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS) activist from Tamil Nadu was appointed as Meghalaya’s governor in May 2016.
In a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan, Press Secretary to the President, Venu Rajamony said the President has accepted the resignation of Shanmuganathan.
"The President of India is pleased to appoint Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Assam to discharge the functions of the Governor of Meghalaya and Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya, Governor of Nagaland, to discharge the functions of the
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, in addition to their own duties, until regular arrangements for the offices of the Governor of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh are made," the statement said.