PUDUCHERRY: Tension prevailed near the Raj Nivas as Puducherry witnessed the unprecedented situation of Chief Minister V Narayanasamy resorting to a dharna on the road (near Gubert Statue adjoining Bharathi Park on the southern side) along with Ministers, MLAs and partymen after police prevented him from meeting the Welfare Minister M Kandasamy who was sitting on a dharna near the Raj Nivas gates on Tuesday.
Kandasamy, who has been on a dharna for the past 10 days, on Tuesday morning alighted from his vehicle near Romain Rolland library and walked towards Raj Nivas to meet Lt Governor Kiran Bedi. He was stopped by the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) and told that without an appointment he could not meet the Lt Governor. Unable to meet the Lt Governor, Kandasamy sat on a dharna on the road.
Though he wrote to the Lt Governor twice seeking an appointment with regard to some files pertaining to enhancing assistance under welfare schemes, she responded by advising him to discuss it with the Chief Secretary as the files are not with her. Kandasamy told newspersons that he had been requesting an appointment with the Lt Governor to discuss certain issues pertaining to his departments and was not given time. To condemn this action of the Lt Governor, he said he is resorting to the agitation near Raj Nivas.
In the meantime, supporters of Kandasamy put up road blockades at several places in Embalam constituency and other places. Congress volunteers also started to throng the barricaded areas surrounding Raj Nivas.
Hearing the news, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy along with minister Malladi Krishna Rao, Lok Sabha member V Vaithilignam and legislators T Jayamurthy and Vijayaveni came to meet Kandasamy. When they reached the Goubert statue, police blocked them and denied permission to meet Kandasamy. Following this, the Chief Minister who is also the Home Minister entered into an argument with the police personnel, triggering tension.
Later, the Chief Minister and others resorted to a dharna near the Goubert statue and Congress volunteers shouted slogans against the Lt Governor. The Chief Minister told newspersons that since he was not allowed to meet Kandasamy, he along with the others resorted to the dharna. Security at Raj Niwas has been tightened following the sudden stir by the CM.
Agitation ends
Finally, in the evening past 4 pm, Narayanasamy met Kandasamy and persuaded him to call off his stir. He clarified that in fact he came to call back Kandasamy as they sought an appointment with the President of India either on January 21 or 22 to take up the issue with him and apprise him about the happenings in Puducherry.
With this, the indefinite dharna by Kandasamy also came to an end. He told newspersons that the Lt Governor had given approval for some of his files and steps would be taken for the speedy implementation of the same through the Chief Secretary. Approval for some more files is expected soon, he said.
Since they are planning to meet the President and as his health condition is not good, Kandasamy called off his agitation.
Welfare Minister Kandasamy hospitalised
Shortly after calling off the agitation, Kandasamy was admitted to the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital after he complained of dizziness at the end of his 10-day long agitation this evening. Kandasamy who is a diabetic has been kept under observation, hospital authorities said.
AIADMK legislature party leader prevented from meeting Lt Governor
Meanwhile, AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbazhagan who came to meet Lt Governor Kiran Bedi to submit a memorandum also could not meet her as he was stopped by the police near the Bharathidasan statue.
However, Anbazhagan tried another route via Romain Rolland Library where also senior superintendent of police Prathiksha Godra stopped him, forcing him to enter into an argument with the police. Later, he contacted the Lt Governor’s officer on special duty G Thevaneethi Das who advised him to send the memorandum through the police.
However, protesting against the denial of permission to a people’s representative, Anbazhagan left the spot. He told newspersons that he will bring in a privilege issue against the police personnel who 'dishonoured' him.