Straight answers

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Lalji Tandon, Senior BJP leader, On the unceremonious exit of Vishnukant Shastri</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">What is your take on the unceremonious removal of Vishnukant Shastri and three other Governors?</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">The move smacks of plain vendetta. By not allowing Vishnukant Shastri to complete his full term as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, the Centre has not only violated the Constitution, but also shown its true colours.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">But the Congress has strongly defended its decision saying that the four governors have not been sacked because they belonged to a particular political party but because of their "long time association with the </span><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Sangh Parivar</span><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">..."</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">This is not true. The Governor''s post is a constitutional one. The Congress, as I said, is just trying to seek revenge. They are setting a wrong precedent. What if there is a change of guard at the Centre and the new government sacks all Congress appointed Governors? They should have no reason to complain then. What the Congress has done is very unfortunate and has no parallels.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Would Vishnukant Shastri''s ouster affect the programme of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who is scheduled to visit him and stay at the Raj Bhawan during his two day visit to Lucknow today?</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">No. Why should be there any change in programme? Atalji is a former Prime Minister and is entitled to all the benefits of a privileged state guest. Irrespective of who comes and goes, Atalji will very much stay at the Raj Bhawan.</span><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">lucknow.times@timesgroup.com</span></div> </div>