Tamilisai joins issue with CM Stalin over ‘puppet’ govt remark
PUDUCHERRY/TIRUNELVELI : Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday refuted TN CM and DMK President MK Stalin’s claim of a “puppet” government in Puducherry, saying she only supported the government.
“I am not dominating or controlling the chief minister but only supporting the government,” she told reporters on the sidelines of a government function in Puducherry. Tamilisai said she did everything in consultation with the chief minister.
Further, the chief minister expressing his grievances (over delays in clearances by the Centre) freely before Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy at the government function indicated that he has full freedom (and is not a puppet), she said.
Responding to MK Stalin’s remarks about establishing a Dravidian-model of governance by coming to power in Puducherry, Tamilisai said he should first provide land (for free) for the development of Puducherry airport (runway expansion project) before speaking about establishing Dravidian model of governance in Puducherry for its development.
Responding to Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation as a minister in TN, she said she (the daughter of veteran Congress leader Kumari Anandhan) had never occupied any posts via dynastic means, but by the dint of public service over a period of over 25 years.
In a separate event at Tirunelveli on Tuesday, Tamilisai said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently dubbed dynasty politics as a backdoor entry to the field. Taking part in an event at her alma mater Vadakkankulam Nehru Higher Secondary School, she also said the DMK government should try to use Tamil words to refer to the “Dravidian Model”.
“Chief Minister MK Stalin had asked the people of the state to give their children Tamil names. So, hereon he should also use Tamil words to cite the ‘Dravidian Model’. This is just my demand,” she told media persons on the occasion.