More needs to be done than mere cosmetic changes

What is there in a name?

President Pranab Mukherjee recently expressed his desire to depart from the existing protocol of being addressed as ‘His Excellency’ and also minimal disruption in the city caused by the movement of his convoy. The President wants most functions to be held within the precincts of the Rashtrapati Bhavan so that there is no disruption of traffic and less burden on the police.

He has asked for dropping the honorific ‘Excellency’ as a prefix to his name for officials functions within the country and during interaction with dignitaries. Thus, use of the words ‘His Excellency’ will be discontinued while organising functions within the country and during interaction between Indian dignitaries and the President. The President has specified that in Hindi the word ‘Mahamahim’ used as prefix to his name will be replaced with ‘Rashtrapati Mahoday’. Also, the word “Hon’ble” will be used before the title of ‘President’ or ‘Governor’. And the traditional Indian greeting of ‘Shri’ or ‘Smt.’ will precede the name.

These intentions are welcome. However, there is something amiss. Was it an attempt to break from the chain that India as a nation has yoked herself with her erstwhile ruler, the British Empire. There is something definitely important and significant about changing the protocol, but more substantial changes are required than mere superficial ones.

Look at the numbers

The Rashtrapati Bhavan was officially inaugurated in the year 1931 and at that time, was constructed at a cost of 877,136 pounds (Rs. 12.8 million). It is a massive building built with a floor space of 200 000 square feet and has four floors and 340 rooms. There are over 54 bedrooms together with additional accommodation for guests in the President House. The entire building was constructed using 700 million bricks and three million cubic feet of stones.

As the plan for New Delhi was developed, the Governor-General’s residence was given an enormous scale and prominent position. The British architect Edwin Landseer Lutyens, a major member of the city-planning process, was given the primary architectural responsibility. 300 families were evicted under the “1894 Land Acquisition Act” (this Act is still in vogue as British legacy) from Raisina and Malcha villages, thus clearing about 4,000 acres (almost the size of Imphal city) to begin the construction of the Viceroy’s House. It is a different matter that India attained independence within a year of completion of the building and British people could not enjoy their stay in it.

The president also has retreats in Shimla and Hyderabad.

The Retreat Building,Mashobra ,Shimla

Located on the hill top of the Mashobra, the building was taken over during 1895 by the Viceroy. The President visits The Retreat at least once a year and the core office shifts to that place during stay in The Retreat. Thousand feet higher than the Shimla Ridge Top, The Retreat is located in a picturesque surrounding. The redeeming feature of this building is that it is purely a wooden structure with dajji wall construction. Originally constructed in 1850, this building has a plinth area of 10,628 sq. ft.

 Rastrapati Nilayam,Bolarum,Hyderabad

Bolarum, Rashtrapati Nilayam building was taken over from the Nizam of Hyderabad after India attained independence and handed it over to the President’s Secretariat. Constructed during 1860, this building has a total land area of 90 acres. A single storied building, it contains in its premises 11 rooms. It also has a Dining Hall, Cinema Hall, Darbar Hall, Morning room, Dining room etc. The President of India visits the Rashtrapati Nilayam and stays there at least once a year and conducts official business from this Nilayam.

Huge Expenditure

A total of approx 1000 employees are involved in the maintenance and upkeep of the Rastrapati Bhavan. These include The President’s Bodyguard which is an elite household cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. It is senior-most in the order of precedence of the units of the Indian Army. The primary role of the President’s Bodyguard is to escort and protect the President of India which is why the regiment is based in the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, India. It is equipped as a mounted unit, with horses for ceremonies at the presidential palace and BTR-60 vehicles for use in combat. The personnel of the regiment are also trained as paratroopers and nominally are expected to lead in airborne assaults in the role of pathfinders.

The budgetary allocation for the President’s household establishment for this year stands at Rs. 19.12 cr. This expenditure provides for amount spent on household establish- ment of the President on account of salaries of the staff and officers, office expenses, purchase and maintenance of vehicles, etc.

The budgetary allocation for President’s Secretariat has seen an increase of Rs. 35 lakh this fiscal. The expenses include establishment related expenses in respect of the staff and officers of the secretariat including office expenses. The salary and allowances of the President have been left unchanged at Rs. 18 lakh. The total budgetary allocation for the President is Rs. 30.24 crore. The figure would go up if the two retreats at Shimla and Hyderabad are included.

Wasteful Existence

The stupendous paraphernalia involving huge expenses and manpower which is in place to look after the President and Rashtrapati Bhavan is a real waste in my opinion. Many of the heads of states of developed countries stay in rented apartments. Olof Palme, who was a two-term Prime Minister of Sweden used to stay in a rented apartment in Stockholm. Security had never been a major issue, and Olof Palme could often be seen without any bodyguard protection. He used to walk home from cinema on many occasions. The night of his murder was one such occasion. Walking home from a cinema with his wife Lisbet Palme in the central Stockholm street Sveavägen, close to midnight on 28 February 1986, the couple was attacked by an assassin.

It was a sad end but even many of the US presidents have been assassinated despite of best security protections accorded. In India also, we could not prevent assassins from killing Indira and Rajiv Gandhi. Thus, security cover of VVIPs are more about mental satisfaction than real security (nobody can ensure foolproof security to anyone). Moreover, even the Prime Minister who is the real executive head of the nation lives in a modest type VIII quarters and still is able to manage the country efficiently. President who is just the ceremonial head of state can do very well in a much smaller set up.

Way forward : Convert Rashtrapati Bhavan into an University Campus

We all are aware that India lacks a world class educational institute (none of Indian educational institute figures in the first 200 best in the world) and there is an urgent requirement of creating one. The Rashtrapati Complex is ideally located and have the infrastructure and wherewithal necessary for a world class university. May be it is time that we think out of box and convert Rashtrapati Bhavan into the world class university that India desperately requires.

The writer is an independent policy analyst and is Director Career Launcher Ltd Imphal Centre, Old Lambulane, He can be reached at naoremkumar@gmail.com

16-Oct-2012 / 12:35 AM / Lt Col (retd) Naorem Kumar / 0 Comments