Don't want Bedi to be rubber stamp, expect her to function as

Continuing his tirade against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Tuesday said she was "standing in the way of" the welfare of the people and "prevented without exception" all welfare measures decided upon by elected government." Addressing reporters on the premises of the Assembly here, the Chief Minister, who has been at loggerheads with the former IPS officer on several administrative issues, said, "I never want the Lt Governor to be a rubber stamp. But I would only expect her to function within the provisions of the rules and statutes governing administration." Since the last three years she had been "interfering" in the routine administration and also acting against the statutory provisions, he alleged.

He also listed various matters including free rice scheme in which the Lt Governor was obstructing implementation of the decisions of the elected government. The Chief Minister charged Bedi with "acting in violation" of the ruling of the Madras High court that a Lt Governor should not intervene in the working of the elected government given in a writ petition filed by Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Minister in April this year.

Narayanasamy accused Bedi of functioning in an "autocratic" manner without concern for the development of the Union Territory, for the welfare of the poor, the industrial workers and weaker sections. He hit out at the NDA government at the Centre for "adopting a step motherly treatment" towards Puducherry as no sufficient funds were earmarked to meet our commitments.

The Chief Minister said he had represented to Prime Minister several times and also to the Home and Finance Minister bringing to their attention the "piquant situation" prevailing in Puducherry. "Despite several odds we have however ensured good progress raising the scale of achievements in Health, Education and other sectors," he said..