PUDUCHERRY: Former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has said that the national flag should be unfurled by Chief Minister N Rangasamy on the occasion of Republic day celebration in Puducherry after getting the approval from Union Home Ministry, instead of Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana who holds additional charge of Lt Governor of Puducherry .
In a video released, Narayanasamy questioned the necessiity of Dr Tamilisai hoisting the flag in Puducherry after unfurling the national flag in Telangana on the occasion of Republic day. “Hoisting flag in one state and then hoisting flag in Puducherry is a bitter experience for Puducherry people”, said Narayanasamy. Since there is no regular Lt Governor for Puducherry, Chief Minister of the elected government has the right . There has been an earlier precedence of Chief Minister unfurling national flag on Republic day in Puducherry in 2015, when the Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island was holding the additional charge as Lt Governor of Puducherry.
At that time, with the approval of the Union Home Ministry, N Rangasamy who was chief minister at that time hoisted the National flag on Republic day. In a similar way Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan should hoist the flag in Telangana and should have made arrangement for the CM to hoist the flag in Puducherry going by the precedent, but she faulted, remarked Narayanasamy. A Governor hoisting the flag in two states has never happened before, though Governors of Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh held additional charges of other states, said Narayanasamy .
Had the Centre appointed a regular Lt Governor for Puducherry after Kiran Bedi, then such a situation would not have emerged . Questioning the Central Government for not having appointed a regular LG, he said the Central government should have advised LG, to hoist flag in Telangana and CM to hoist the flag in Puducherry. Narayanasamy alleged that the Centre’s intention is not only to hold all powers but it is also its policy, which is insulting to the elected government. He said that Centre is not bothered about Puducherry people and asked if CM hoisted the flag how would it affect LG, who is hoisting it in Telangana.
He said that Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan should decide against hoisting flag in Puducherry but get approval from CG to permit CM to hoist the flag in Puducherry .