The Congress-run central government did not utter a single word against its party-run Gujarat whose lack of timely action, in the face of threat of an epidemic, might cost the country around Its 20,000 crore. The prime minister's priority was the political situation in UP. There i» «n air ot unreality not to say »urreallty within the ruling rirclex tn New Delhi. The Naraalmha Rao govern merit has not taken the scourge ot plague ao seriously aa the goings-on In Uttar Pradesh The prime minister did not consider the threat of an epidemic Important enough to convene a meeting of state chief ministers to give the problem urgency during the nightmare of confusion, fear and helplessness, when the rest of the world was excommunicating India.

His priority was the polill cal situation In UP For hours he would be closeted with the Congress leaders from ^he state to discuss how to propiti ate Narain Dutt Tiwari the UP Congress president. , who wanted state chief minister Mulayam Singh's lead Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh too was pressed into service to calm down Tiwari because there Is good equation between the two. It has helped a bit.

. But the Congress-run central government has not uttered a single word against Its party-run Gujarat, whose lack of timely action might cost the country, a Planning Commis sion expert estimates, around Rs 20.000 crore, twice the amount of securities' scam. Gujarat chief minister ChhabUdas Mehta has neither been criticised, nor held accountable. But the demand for Mwlayam Singh's dismissal has been Increasing in loudness. Apparently, political considerations have greater pull than health, hygiene or hazard to people's life. *

I do not know what the message of Mulayam Singh's dismissal. If and when it takes place, will convey. But 1 have no doubt that Chhabildas s dismissal would have awak-

fried the flabby, lethargic and Inconsiderate administrations all over India (o xlertneM vigi lance and responsibility. Strange, none in tly Gujarat government has been put on the mat for their criminal ne gleet because It Is established beyond doubt that the first case at plague In Surat came to notice on , September 2 and was confirmed Iwo days later by a central laboratory where it was sent for blood culture

There Is wilful intellectual dishonesty tn the Government of India s behaviour It closes its eyes to the crime of the Gujarat government but re sponds readily to the UP provincial Congress committee for the dismissal of Mulayam Singh. If discredited defeated Congress tn the state decIdea to withdraw its support from Mulayam Singh to play up to the electorate, it Is Its-own business. None can find fault with the party on this count.

But when It goes on to ask for the ousting of Mulayam Singh and when the centre pays serious consideration to the demand, UP Congress is playing politics and the Narasimha Rao government is overstepping its constitutional limits. The Congress strength of 32 in a house of 425 sitting members is not even 8%. Why did the prime minister entertain the demand in the first Instance? Narain Dutt Tiwari's resignation is part of pressure, not- a sign of lower order breakdown.

In a recent judgment, the

Supreme Court has laid down that article 356 which authorises the centre to take over a stale administration, would in vite judicial review If such action Is based on Irrelevant or extraneous grounds. UP Congressmen have given two grounds for dismissal : one. the stir for the creation of Uttarakhand, and two. the vandalism at the Allahabad High Court where even, the chief Justice was not spared

There Is no doubt that the

groundswell of opinion in the hill districts Is In favour of Uttarakhand. The firing at the Muzaffarnagar crowd marching towards Delhi has given a fresh edge to the agitation. But Mulayam Singh ,1s not in the way of the state's formation. He has forwarded In support a unanimous resolution passed by the state assembly to the centre, where it awaits the PM's nod. It is parliament that has to pass the relevant constitutional bill to alter the state's boundaries. If the agitation in favour of Uttarakhand has not abated, the blame is not so much on the state as on the centre. Police firing In some parts of hill districts has consecrated the demand if some sacrifice was still needed.

Secondly whal happened al the Allahabad High Court is Inexcusable. But Mulayam Singh hiihself took action against the police chief and some other government functionaries even before the Central Bureau of Investiga Hons (CBI) began its Inquiry following the Supreme Court's directive the CBI has found a fow officials, policemen and lawyers guilty. The action, which the Supreme Court has initiated against them. Is fully

backed -by Mulayam Singh. Therefore. It is not a case where the state government Is thwarting the course of Justice and has to be removed for restoring the dignity of law

How does the failure or involvement of some public employees and lawyers become the basis for the dismissal of an elected .government? The step could have been Justified If the Supreme Court had made any aspersion against Mulayam Singh. Even the CBI has found no link between the Mulayam Singh government and what happened at the Allahabad High Court. It was a local lapse. In an interview with me over the phone from Ixicknow, Mulayam Singh said that neither the Supreme

Court nor the CBI has held turn or his government responsible.

In fact, there have been worst examples of communal and caste rtotlngs tn other states Nowhere has the chief minister been arraigned 'for the police failure. Never has the Narasimha Rao govern merit even played with the Idea of dismissing a Congress government The firing at Muzaffarnagar and a few other places is reprehensible and has been justifiably condemned. But the police excesses are not peculiar to UP. The force all over the country behaves like the colonialists

AM that the Mulayam Singh government is doing Is not to everybody s liking. The crimi nallsatton of politics has Increased. While the Bharatiya Janata Party, the predecessor, divided the society on the basis of religion, he has polarised it on the caste lines. But the question is whether Mulayam Singh should be dismissed? It will create more problems and the step may come to be considered another onslaught by the upper caste on the backward since both PM and Tiwari are brahmins. The irresponsible Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Mulayam Singh's ally, may become more irresponsible.

Little does the Congress realise that the dismissal will-give a halo of martyrdom to Mulayam Singh. He may return with bigger strength.. The example of N T Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh Is not very old. The dismissal made him hero

and he swept the polls.

True. Narasimha Rao resisted the demand Jor the dismissal when Tiwari and Ha asimx-razes made the initial move. He even told UP Congressmen that the conatKuUoa is above sentiments But the argument which went home was that the dlsmlsaal would alienate thaj backward communities Mulayam Singh Is a key backward leader — and might adversely affect the prospects of state elections, first in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in December and then in Bihar. Maharashtra and Orissa in March.

But the pressure has got a new lease after the police fir Ing at Muzaffarnagar and a few other places Sonia Gandhi, who says off an on that she has no intention to enter politics, appears to have stepped in It is very unlikely that Narasimha Rao will dismiss the Mulayam Singh government. He wants to watt till after the elections in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Even when he decides to dismiss Mulayam Singh, the dissolution of the assembly is not on his agenda: he will keep it in animated suspension. Central intelligence agencies have warned him that the BJP may come to power if the elections are held In the near future.

The suspension of the state assembly suits the UP Congressmen The rule of the governor, who is the centre’s nominee, will enable them to throw their weight about, to collect funds and to torment the Mulayam Singh group and others In the opposition. The mere withdrawal of support by the Congress does not mean the fall of the government. Hence the demand for dis-missal which will give the state1 party an opportunity to drive ' from the backseat.