PUDUCHERRY: Stating that dishonouring elected representatives is equivalent to dishonouring the people of the Union territory, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Wednesday said that the Prime Minister and the central government should not remain a mere spectator to this.
Briefing newspersons after the meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the Chief Minister said that the Lt Governor should function with the understanding that the council of ministers and MLAs are people's representatives and are working for the people. Autocratic rule in a democracy was unacceptable, he said.
The Chief Minister said he along with Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao and others went to meet the Welfare Minister Kandasamy who sat on a dharna near the Raj Nivas only to persuade him to call off his stir as there is a plan to meet the President of India. But by preventing them through the police, the Lt Governor had created an unprecedented situation, he said, adding that he would not blame the police as they are being threatened by her.
Narayanasamy held Kiran Bedi responsible for the situation leading to the agitation by the Welfare Minister culminating in a dharna in front of Raj Nivas. Only after the agitation was approval granted to 17 out of 36 files on public welfare that were sent to her and the rest was under process, he said, listing out the files approved. If the approval had been granted on time without any delay, there would not have been the necessity for the agitation. After staging a dharna for 10 days in a peaceful way, the health of the minister was affected and he had to be given medical attention, said the Chief Minister.
Narayanasamy said that he had put forth the demand to recall the Lt Governor several times and if she really was concerned about the well-being of the people, she should leave Puducherry on her own.
Hence he along with ministers Malladi Krishna Rao and Kandasamy and Lok Sabha member V Vaithilingam would go to Delhi to meet the President and apprise him regarding her “autocratic functioning in violation of democratic principles” and “atrocious behaviour” and request for her recall. An appointment has been sought for an audience with the President on January 21 or 22, he said.
Narayanasamy said that the police is under the control of the government. But some “extra constitutional authority” is threatening them and he does not have any complaint against the police for restricting him on Tuesday.
On the appointment of Purva Garg as the District Collector replacing T Arun, the CM said that he had written in the file that in view of the ensuing assembly election, a person knowing Tamil should be appointed. However, the Lt Governor ignored it and appointed Purva Garg. He said he had already sought an explanation from her for imposing prohibitory orders under section 144 Cr.P C without his knowledge and she is yet to give a reply. Disciplinary procedures will be initiated against her after getting her reply, he added.