we shall swim together , all right but will WE drown together ?
We shall swim together : CM
Gen Singh sworn in new Assam Governor
Lt. Gen (retd) Ajai Singh (right) with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi after the former's swearing-in at the Raj Bhavan in the city on Thursday. (Sentinel)
By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, June 5: Lt Gen. (retd) Ajai Singh, who was sworn in as the new Governor of Assam here today, received a commitment from Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of full cooperation in running the affairs of the State. "We shall swim together," Gogoi quipped in reply to a light-hearted comment by Lt Gen. Singh before the media that he would dive into the Brahmaputra should the Chief Minister ask him to do so.
The Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice P Naolekar administered the oath-of-office and secrecy to Lt Gen Singh at Raj Bhavan in the city. The swearing-in ceremony was attended among others by the Chief Minister, all Cabinet ministers, ministers of state, Opposition leader Brindabon Goswami, and top State Government officials including the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police.
Talking to newsmen soon after the swearing-in, the Governor preferred not to go deeper into a number of problems like infiltration, insurgency etc., that have plagued the State. On reporters’ query on infiltration from Bangladesh, an area where his predecessor had a difference with the Chief Minister, the new Governor refrained from giving his views on the issue, saying only that infiltration was not a new problem before the State, and he would have to study the ground situation.
Responding to questions on the continuation of the Unified Command, Lt Gen Singh did admit that the Unified Command has yielded positive results. He, however, refrained from giving a clear-cut reply, and just said that he would have to go into the details of the situation before commenting on the subject. The all important question on insurgency problem was also responded in a similar fashion by the Governor.
When asked on his priority and the tussle between the Chief Minister and his predecessor on some issues, Lt Gen. Singh pointed his finger towards Chief Minister Gogoi and said: "He is my boss. I will dive into the Brahmaputra if he asks me to do so." Mr Gogoi was, however, quick enough to manage the situation saying, "We shall swim together and cross the river."
Attired in traditional Rajasthani dress complete with a turban (safa), Lt Gen Singh went to Kamakhya Temple straight from the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport after landing. From the Temple, he went to the Raj Bhavan where he received the guard of honour.
Justice Naolekar had to interrupt the oath-taking for sometime as the former Army general continued to read the copy of oath which he had in his hand even before the Chief Justice began the swearing-in proceedings.
The sitting arrangement at the Raj Bhavan was also not the way it should have been. Most of the ministers were made to seat in the rear rows. They were behind the officials and other Congress leaders.
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