Puducherry CM, ministers' dharna outside Raj Nivas enters 3rd day

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues continued their dharna outside the Raj Nivas for the third day Friday protesting Lt Governor Kiran Bedi's "negative stand" towards his government's proposals awaiting her approval.

The Chief Minister, his cabinet colleagues and legislators belonging to the Congress and the DMK continued the agitation outside the Lt Governor's residence where a large number of Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed.

Asked if he would turn up for a meeting the Lt Governor had scheduled with him at Raj Nivas on February 21 to sort out the issues, he said, "There is absolutely no need for any such meeting. We have placed before her all our proposals and she is quite aware of them."

Bedi left for New Delhi Thursday and would be back on February 20.

Narayanasamy contended the Lt Governor was aware of all the proposals the government had submitted for her approval and they all are related to welfare schemes, including distribution of free rice and sanctioning of funds for payment of wages to workers in government undertakings.

"In all, 39 proposals were submitted to her (Bedi) for approval. Let her at least give her nod to some of the important proposals which include free rice scheme and grants for the public sector undertakings," he said.

The Chief Minister said he had written several letters to the Lt Governor seeking her nod for the government proposals but there was no response.

Claiming that the Centre had not taken any step in response to his government's plea seeking the Lt Governor's nod to the proposals, Narayanasamy accused the Union government of using the Lt Governor as a pawn to embarrass the elected government here.

Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker V Vaithilingam wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh urging him to appoint an interim administrator to bring to an end the "unusual and disturbed situation" in Puducherry as the Cabinet has been staging a dharna outside the Raj Nivas since February 13.

In the letter, copies of which were circulated to the media here, the Speaker urged Singh to "either depute a responsible representative of the Home Ministry at appropriate level to Puducherry to resolve the issue now prevailing in the Union Territory or consider appointing an interim administrator who can handle the situation in the interest of the welfare of people here."

Vaithilingam alleged that the administration has been facing "problems due to unnecessary interference by the Lt Governor in the day-to-day functioning".

The Lt Governor and the government headed by Narayanasamy have been at loggerheads over various issues ever since Bedi assumed office in May 2016.

Narayanasamy had led an agitation in front of the Parliament on January 4, demanding that the Centre sanction statehood for Puducherry and recall Bedi, a former IPS officer.