PUDUCHERRY: Remaining guarded for almost a year despite differences, Chief Minister V Narayansamy on Monday finally broke his silence to caution Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi to function within her jurisdiction or prepare to face consequences.
This came in the backdrop of MLAs, except AINRC, seeking a resolution to press her recall or boycott the Presidential elections.
“She should stop criticising the elected government and posting baseless allegations against ministers, legislators and officials on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp forthwith, failing which she should be prepared to face the consequences,” Narayanasamy said in the Assembly. Objecting to certain tweets which allegedly revealed official matters, he charged Bedi with violating the oath of official secrecy and could not hold the office of the Lt Governor.
The chief minister went to the extent of directing officials not to accompany the Lt Governor or meet her without the consent of ministers concerned. He even urged the legislators to not allow the Lt Governor into their constituencies and picket her if she visited.
Chief Minister’s sharp response came during Zero Hour when members raised the issue of the Lt Governor’s criticism of the elected government, ministers, MLAs and officials on social media.
However, members were not satisfied with the chief minister’s reply and wanted a resolution seeking Bedi’s recall.
AIADMK Floor leader A Anbazhagan said the government should adopt a resolution or boycott the Presidential elections.
He alleged that Bedi was running a parallel government, insulting elected representative and officials and this ‘improper’ functioning needed to be stopped with appropriate action.
He was supported by DMK Floor leader R Siva, ministers M Kandasamy, R Kamalakannan, MLAs K Lakshminarayanan, R K R Anantharaman and T Jayamurthy. Siva wanted the Assembly to be adjourned to discuss about the resolution. The chief minister, however, said he would write to the Prime Minister and Home Minister apprising them about the feelings of the members.
Citing various constitutional clauses, Narayanasamy claimed that elected government enjoyed power in the union territory. He further said the Lt Governor should function on the advice of the council of ministers. If there was any difference of opinion pertaining to any files, it should be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for clearance, Narayanasamy said and blamed Bedi for stalling the government’s functioning by sending most of the files to Delhi.
Stating that Bedi has exceeded all limits, the chief minister said he was forced to speak out.
Referring to the claim by the Lt Governor that no files were pending at Rajnivas, Narayansmay said Bedi had been returning the files without approval by making queries. He accused Bedi of blocking the files pertaining to the waiver of cooperative loans to farmers, refusing to enhance freedom fighters’ pension and opposing the provision for free education to Adi Dravidar students. Mentioning the delays in resuming flight service and port operations, Narayansamy wondered whether Bedi was caring for Puducherry.
Alleging that the Lt Governor was functioning for her personal publicity, Narayansamy said she was lowering the dignity of her post. The chief minister claimed the government had properly conducted the CENTAC counselling for medical PG admissions and added that Bedi intervened to give an impression that the elected government was wrong and things were set right by her intervention.