Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has welcomed the "attitudinal change" in Welfare Minister M Kandasamy, who had said he would not make any hostile comment against her from now on. Bedi said other ministers, including the welfare minister, should realise that all appointed public servants were there to fulfil their responsibilities so that no auditor can find fault with them in the future. "Hence, the ministers should avoid criticising officials also and more particularly, the finance secretary," she said. In a WhatsApp message to the media yesterday, Bedi said she was "happy to see the attitudinal change in the minister" and she was also "grateful" to him. Kandasamy had on January 13 extended an olive branch to the Lt Governor, with whom he has been at loggerheads over rejection of his departments' various proposals. He had announced that he would refrain from making "hostile comments or criticism" against Bedi as a "coordinated approach" and mutual understanding alone would help for implementation of the schemes. Kandasamy also said that he had conveyed his decision to Bedi at a meeting with her recently. He had, however, targeted the finance secretary for blocking implementation of welfare schemes by the government. The former IPS officer said that the finance secretary is accountable to the auditors and bound by financial rules in the implementation of schemes. "Noone is immune from lawful functioning and hence accusing an official does not help.
It only weakens the trust of the people in the government," she added.
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