KALAM
DISPROVED THE NOTION THAT THE PRESIDENT IS ONLY A CONSTITUTIONAL ORNAMENT
The
book[1]
reflects the man — simple, unsophisticated, dedicated, secular, self-made, a
visionary, child-like in some ways and charmingly innocent in his breakouts
from rigid protocol. His mission was to “ignite” minds to build a better and
greater India. Though some eyebrows were raised when Dr Kalam was elevated to
the Presidency, his work and conduct in office won him praise and affection
from ordinary people who saw him as a People’s President. His vision was to see
India become a Developed Society by 2020 with PURA (provision of urban
amenities in rural areas) among the engines of change.
Rashtrapati
Bhavan became an open house, especially for children, youth and scientists and
a social laboratory. He was a man with a mission and sought to operationalise
his ideas in “mission mode”. Though non-political, Dr Kalam had an astute sense
of political and constitutional propriety and measured up to the political
challenges he confronted during his term in office. He also disproved the
strange notion that the President is no more than a constitutional ornament, a
figurehead with no real role to play. When delicate issues confronted him he
acted boldly in accordance with constitutional advice and the dictates of his
own conscience.
Not a yes-man
Turning
Points: A Journey Through Challenges well illustrates the point. He returned
the Office of Profit Bill to Parliament to tidy up the concept — the first time
a Bill had been sent back for reconsideration. He was deeply disturbed by the
UPA government’s decision to dissolve the suspended Bihar Assembly in 2005 even
before it could meet on the ground that the Governor had reported that efforts
were being made to cobble together a majority by illegal means. The matter had
been referred to the Supreme Court before which the President desired that his
views should be placed through the Government counsel. Not satisfied that this
had been done in the manner desired, Dr Kalam decided to resign office after
approving the dissolution and was with some effort persuaded to withdraw his
resignation that he had tendered on grounds of conscience, which he held to be
his highest tribunal. He was no yes-man.
An
innovator by profession, he was equally innovative in Rastrapati Bhavan. He
promoted e-governance and wired up his office for a start. He proposed an
e-judiciary and pressed for a national litigation pendency clearance mission.
He initiated regular breakfast meetings with MPs and State Ministers to review
and promote development from which the aim of a Developed India by 2020
emerged. To this end he also sought to construct a national prosperity index to
measure progress in terms of both growth and welfare. These were not exercises
in futility. They made people think and sowed the seeds of action. He noted
carefully suggestions made in various reports and by wise heads and compiled
these into a list of “do’s”. On the political plane he advocated independent
selection panels for appointments to all constitutional and regulatory offices
— an issue of current controversy — and a constitutional amendment that would
permit the prime minister to appoint up to 25 per cent of his or her cabinet
from outside parliament so as to bring in expertise. He also proposed that the
Planning Commission be mandated to present an annual report to Parliament on
actual achievements in relation to agreed annual targets.
His
first outstation visit on being sworn President was to Gujarat soon after the
bloody riots of 2002. Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee did not object but inquired
if such a visit was essential. Dr Kalam thought so and did go, and was able to
give comfort and bring succour to many and was escorted throughout by Narendra
Modi. The visit did impart a healing touch and sent out the message that the
nation cared.
One
of the revelations Dr Kalam makes is that in 2004, he would unhesitatingly have
called upon Sonia Gandhi to form the Government, as she had the mandate, but
was surprised when she instead put forward Dr Manmohan Singh’s name as prime
minister.
In
the field of foreign affairs the President felt that in an increasing globalised
world much commerce and other transactions are governed by international
treaties. Hence the importance of vesting Parliament with the power to ratify
all international agreements, a process not yet part of Indian practice unlike
in most places elsewhere in the world. Here was a thinking President imbued
with democratic values. When he visited South Africa to address the Pan-African
Parliament he projected the idea of developing a Pan-African e-Network to
connect Africa with an Indian core competency. The idea has gradually borne
fruit. The President of course ardently supported the civil nuclear deal with
the U.S. and spent time in Tamil Nadu to reassure fishermen and coastal
residents that the Kudankulam nuclear plant will do them no harm.
[An interesting article to the legal community about Dr APJ Kalam by B. G. Verghese published in the Hindu titled “A
MAN IN MISSION-MODE” on July 23, 2012]
[1]
TURNING POINTS — A Journey Through Challenges: A. P.
J. Abdul Kalam; HarperCollins Publishers, A-53, Sector 57, Noida-201301
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