PUDUCHERRY: Stating that the Puducherry government should take full responsibility for the death of 23 people in the hooch tragedy, former chief minister V Narayanasamy demanded the resignation of Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who also holds the excise portfolio.
Addressing newspersons on Wednesday, Narayanasamy maintained that there was no control over liquor trade and now two persons from Puducherry have been arrested by Tamil Nadu police in connection with the hooch tragedy, but the Puducherry government has failed to take any action on those involved.
“Tamil Nadu government has taken stringent action including suspension of its officers, but Puducherry government has taken no action against excise or police officials here,” he said, adding both Chief Minister and home minister, A Namassivayam, should shoulder the responsibility. He alleged both the ministers are functioning in support of officials for obvious benefits.
Narayanasamy claimed based on a note from Tamil Nadu chief secretary, Puducherry Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma had moved a file for shifting out excise commissioner and deputy commissioner (Excise), but the file got stuck in chief minister’s office, as the chief minister is not interested in taking action. “Even Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan is just watching without taking any action. The inaction has brought a bad name to Puducherry,” he said.
Taking a jibe at Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, Narayanasamy asked whether he would demand the resignation of Puducherry CM and home minister in connection with the hooch tragedy. The view expressed by Lt Governor that Supreme court order on Delhi government is not applicable to Puducherry could not be accepted, he said.
The Supreme Court judgment placed the control of bureaucrats working with the Delhi government (excluding those related to police, public order, and land) under the elected government and said that if a democratically elected government is not allowed to control its officers and hold them accountable, then its responsibility towards the legislature and public is diluted. Similar is the situation in Puducherry, he added.