The Hindu Business Line : <I>Pranab is best left where he is </I>

I am no ill-wisher of the External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, whose progressive rise I have been tracking from my days as a West Bengal civilian. He is a person of parts, gifted with an extraordinarily sharp intelligence and the determination and daring to achieve whatever goal he sets for himself, no matter how formidable the opposition or obstacles.

He has been making an impressive showing as a Parliamentarian and Leader of the House. He is both adroit and accommodating in his approach to issues as well as inter-personal relations. In the Cabinet, he has been a good foil for the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, as a problem-solver, trouble-shooter and bridge-builder. In short, as a shining star in the political firmament, few come near him. But, President of India? Four times no, on the following four grounds:

All said and done, having regard to the limited ambit of the Constitution within which the President has to function, he can do precious little to change the course of events or put the stamp of his personality on Government's decisions. At best, he may exercise the three inherent rights — "to be consulted, to encourage, and to warn" — as said Bagehot, the great Constitutional authority, associated with Constitutional monarchy.

In the press and stress of fast-moving day-to-day functioning of the Government, the times the President will be able to proffer his counsel and see it prevail will be few. Mr Mukherjee has still a lot of drive and energy left in him, and to throw him, bound hand and foot, into a gilded cage will mean a tremendous waste of his talents. To think of him for a sinecure post is to do him an injustice.

Mr Mukherjee had been doing well as Defence Minister, rousing a lot of expectations from his stewardship in terms of streamlining the Ministry and bringing clarity and purpose to the overall Defence strategy.

Within two years, while he was making his mark as a forceful Defence Minister, he was shifted to External Affairs in October 2006. Here, too, his sure and suave touch and his command of the vast and complex domain have evoked respect and appreciation from all those in India and abroad who have dealt with him.

He is well on his way to make his mark as one of India's effective Foreign Ministers. He should be left undisturbed, both for utilising his capabilities in this field to the maximum and for providing a stable leadership to a difficult Ministry.

To say that Mr Mukherji is a fully and deeply committed party person, who has for half a century identified himself heart and soul with the fate and fortunes of the Congress, is not to detract from his abilities and accomplishments.

He has made no secret of his devotion to the members of the Nehru family in particular, and was one of the unquestioning and staunch followers of Indira Gandhi and her son, Sanjay, during the Emergency of 1975-77, unmindful of the odium he himself incurred in the process.

It will be unfair to such a person, as indeed to the Presidency, to seek to fit him into the Rashtrapati Bhavan set-up which will have no use for his undoubted political acumen.

Finally, personalities aside, the crisis of character and the prostitution of institutions through which India is passing make it imperative that Rashtrapati Bhavan is not only kept free from even a scintilla of suspicion of intrusion of politics but is manifestly seen to be so.

Now, more than ever, is there need for a President of the intellectual calibre and professional stature of a Radhakrishnan.

B. S. RAGHAVAN

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