Presidents in office have come in the thick of controversy over something or the other. Zail Singh delayed the Postal
Bill for sometime demanding clarifications on the matter and the media plus government went to town about it. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed''s reputation took a nosedive during the emergency when he signed the proclamation. Perhaps Rajendra Prasad and Radhakrishnan alone lasted in the office because of their unquestioned reputation and also without controversies.
Giri, whose candidature sparked as much storm as the Pratibha Patil candidature now, was known as Indira Gandhi''s choice for understandable reasons. It was the time when the Congress had split and the splinter group under Kamaraj demanded conscience vote too. Now Pratibha''s candidature has brought about visceral reaction from many, especially in regard to
allegations about misappropriation of funds when she was heading a coop and a Bank. In fact RBI had issued a directive in the early 70s that the bank ''s transactions must be halted until a thorough enquiry was held into the allegations. Pratibha Patil''s brother and the family were alleged to be a party to unauthorised distribution of loans.
Karan Tapar in his interview with A.B. Bardhan, CPI ,was repeatedly asking whether such a candidate was qualified to contest for the highest
constitutional post in the country. She may be known for exemplary personal traits like simplicity and long political life. But the allegations remain and there has been no precedent of a Presidential candidate having to answer allegations of this kind before. Assuming she wins and occupies the office and the allegations take a turn against her would not be required to reconsider her position? There are many who insist such a turn of events would leave the office of the President under some strain.
There will be questions about constitutional propriety then. Leaving hypothesis apart, the only factor that seemed to be decisive in her favour as the candidate was that she is an staunch friend of the Nehru family. There is no dearth of qualified candidates otherwise. Maheshwata devi would have been even more qualified for the post as could be others.
From the beginning, it was a political decision and the whole exercise smacks of politics.
The people have been left to watch it from the sidelines.
There is another question that has raised its head now. Why not let the people elect the President without envisaging any change in the constitutional position? Perhaps it will give the office a little more elbow without necessarily resuscitating the old debate about having a Presidential form of government.