Lucknow, Oct. 20: Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik today put the Uttar Pradesh government in the dock by stating that “there is a need to improve the law and order situation in the state”, prompting allegations from the ruling Samajwadi Party that he was acting as an “extra-constitutional authority” who was running a “parallel government”.

The governor’s remarks came while he was releasing a public report card on his own performance during his first three months in office.

Naik, a senior BJP leader from Maharashtra and one has been petroleum minister in the Vajpayee government from 1999 to 2004, also used the occasion to praise the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

“Achhe din aa gaye hain aur main asha karta hoon ki behtar achhe din anewala hai (Good days have arrived… I hope better days are ahead),” he said, while sending Diwali wishes to the people.

The decision to release a report card, and his open reference to acche din — a Modi slogan — raised several eyebrows in political circles as seldom do governors analyse their own performance while in office. Governors are also expected to remain non-partisan.

“There is a need to improve law and order in the state,” he said at the news conference convened at Raj Bhavan. As governor, he added, “it is my job to ensure that the government works as per the Constitution of India”.

The governor though was quick to clarify that chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was taking steps to improve the law and order condition.

“The chief minister has met me several times on this. He has informed me that he is taking all necessary measures to improve law and order,” Naik said, pointing out that he has written several letters to the chief minister on law and order.

Yadav, the governor said, had taken “my letters seriously and acted on them”.

The Samajwadi leaders were up in arms over Naik’s dig at the government. Spokesman Gaurav Bhatia, a Supreme Court lawyer, told a TV news channel: “The governor appears to be acting like an extra-constitutional authority…He must stay within limits. He should read the historic Supreme Court judgment in the SR Bommai vs Union of India case where division of power between the Centre and the state has been laid down clearly.”

Naik, in the report card, describes what steps he has taken on development, law and order, his suggestions, the letters he wrote to the chief minister during the last two months etc.

For example, the governor, quoting the Lokayukt report, says he has dealt at length on corrupt practices of politicians in Uttar Pradesh. He has sought a reply from the chief minister on why no action was taken on the Lokayukt report. Naik says that if no action is taken on the report, his office may ask the government to table the document in the state legislature.

Samajwadi leaders sniff a conspiracy in the governor’s decision to bring out a report card.

A state minister, who refused to be named, lashed out at the governor’s actions.

“The governor’s report card is virtually a report card on the state’s affairs. This is undemocratic and amounts to encroaching on the power of the state,” the minister said.

Ever since Naik was sworn-in as governor on July 22 this year, he has declared his intent to “turn Uttar Pradesh into Uttam Pradesh”.

He has been actively engaged in interactions with the state’s Opposition and ruling party politicians who meet him at regular intervals. On September 21, during his visit to Mathura, Naik had expressed concern over the law and order condition of the state, saying “urgent steps were needed to check the incidents of rape and murder”.