Puducherry CM to Meet President Tomorrow to Seek Kiran Bedi’s Replacement

Chief Minister of Puducherry V Narayanasamy has said he, along with two of his ministerial colleagues and Member of Parliament V Vaithilingam, would meet President Ram Nath Kovind on January 21 to seek the replacement of Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi. The Chief Minister told newsmen here on Wednesday after chairing a meeting of the state-level Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) that he had telephonically contacted the office of the President for the meet.

The meet, he said, was to present a detailed petition focusing on the alleged undemocratic and atrocious manner in which Bedi has been functioning. He said she has been hindering implementation of welfare schemes finalised by an elected government and tarnishing the image of the territorial administration.

Narayanasamy said he had sought an appointment with the President as the alleged intervention of Bedi was throwing routine governance out of gear. He further said the officials were also allegedly being threatened by the Lieutenant Governor and hence they could not find a free atmosphere to discharge their duties.

Narayanasamy said the dharnas on his part and also on the part of the Welfare Minister M Kandasamy against Bedi in recent days were necessitated because of her alleged autocratic attitude. He charged Kiran Bedi with functioning out of ego and vanity.

The Chief Minister said there was no need for the imposition of the regulatory order under section 144 CrPC, but the district Collector Purva Garg clamped it since January 9. “The regulatory order has been imposed under the garb of protection to Lieutenant Governor. We are not against protection to the former IPS officer. But, covering a wider area under the order and putting barricades have been hindering movement of people,” he said.

Narayanasamy said the SDMA meeting also discussed about the hardship the people have been facing because of the order. “I have asked the police to remove the barricades in the next 24 hours`, he said.

He said the Collector had imposed the order without consulting the government. “I have asked for an explanation from the Collector so that we can go ahead with disciplinary proceedings against Bedi,” he said.

Narayanasamy said Welfare Minister M Kandasamy, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao and the Member of Parliament Vaithilingam would accompany him to Delhi to meet the President. “I hope my meeting with the President will bear fruit and do good for the people of Puducherry,” he said.

The Welfare Minister and the MP were also present at the press meet.