Ruling Cong, allies in Puducherry stages protest seeking recall of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi

The ruling Congress-led SecularDemocratic Alliance (SDA) in Puducherry on Friday began itsfour-day long agitation here demanding recall of Lt GovernorKiran Bedi, accusing her of ''impeding developmental plans andwelfare measures of the elected government.'' Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who took part in theagitation, alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bedi''hatched a conspiracy to dismantle the separate (unionterritory) status of Puducherry and merge it with Tamil Nadu.'' He accused the Prime Minister and Bedi of being keenon depriving the people of Puducherry of their rights, acharge already rubbished by the Lt Governor.

''Our fight for our rights would continue and we wouldnot be cowed down by any measure by the Centre,'' the chiefminister said in an emotional address to participants at theprotest, being held months ahead of the assembly electionsexpected in April-May.

Bedi, a former IPS officer, and Narayanasamy have been atlogger heads over various issues ever since she was appointedthe Lt Governor in May 2016 with the ruling Congress accusingher of going against decisions of the government.

The Congress had in December, 2019 written to PresidentRam Nath Kovind seeking the recall of Bedi, who has maintainedthat being the Administrator of the Union Territory she wasonly discharging her duties as per law.

A resolution adopted by SDA later at the protest venueaccused Bedi of requisitioning central forces, deployed herefor maintenance of law and order during the agitation andurged the Centre to withdraw them.

Although the SDA had earlier decided to hold theagitation by picketing Raj Nivas (office-cum-residence of theLt Governor), the venue was shifted to Maraimalai AdigalSalai (more than a km away).

The change was made as the police did not give permissionin view of an order in force restricting agitations within 500metres of Raj Nivas and the assembly.

Narayanasamy said the fight by the parties to seekrecall of Lt Governor should be peaceful.

''We should draw inspiration from the farmers now holdingagitations at the borders of New Delhi to urge repeal of thethree Agriculture Reforms Bill,'' he added.

Narayanasamy urged the people of the union territory tostand firmly and be prepared for any 'sacrifice' to ensurethat the Centre recalled the Lt Governor Bedi as ''she hasbeen obstructing several welfare schemes decided by theelected government ever since she assumed office in 2016.'' Apart from Narayanasamy, the lone Lok Sabha Member fromPuducherry V Vaithilingam, AICC Secretary Sanjay Dutt,Congress legislator T Jayamoorthy, leaders of the CPI, CPI(M)and VCK also participated in the protest.

However, leaders and workers of the DMK, an ally of theCongress, were conspicuous by their absence.

The Centre has deployed the Central Armed Police Forceand the Central Industrial Security Force personnel at vantagepoints here to maintain law and order in view of the dharna.

Although the Chief Minister earlier said the agitationwould continue ''till Kiran Bedi left Puducherry'', the durationof the stir has been reduced to four days.

This is the second time that such an agitation againstBedi is being held here with the Chief Minister and hisministerial colleagues and leaders of the alliance partiestaking part.

The earlier stir was held in February 2019 also to pushthe demands for reopening of the closed industries and publicsector undertakings and also for smooth operation of the freerice scheme.

The present dharna is limited to the demand that Bedi berecalled, sources in the Congress said.

The resolution adopted at the protest venue on Friday saiddeployment of central police forces belittles the efficiencyof the local police.

The district Collector had enforced order under section144 CrPC from Thursday at the ''dictates of Bedi'' to preventthe democratically justified agitation, the resolutionalleged.

''The Puducherry government is already reeling undersevere fiscal crisis and the expenditure being incurredbecause of the 1,500 personnel of the Central para militaryforces towards their wages and also allied expenditure wouldadd to the strain of the financial position,'' it said.

Earlier, Narayanasamy and the others garlanded statues ofleaders including former Chief Minister V Venkatasubba Reddiarbefore arriving at the venue of the protest.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)