Amidst the dramatic stand-off between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal, Chief Minister of Congress-ruled Puducherry V. Narayanasamy on Sunday formally raised the issue of “interference and parallel administration by Constitutional authorities” at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting.
According to sources, while Mr. Narayanasamy did not name anyone, he raised the issue of “day-to-day interference by authorities that acted in an extra-Constitutional way” towards the end of his formal speech.
The remarks are an indirect reference to Kiran Bedi, who is the L-G of Puducherry, a Union Territory with an elected government like Delhi.
Plea to replace L-G
Responding to the speech, Home Minister Rajnath Singh pointed out that the topic was not part of the agenda but the Puducherry Chief Minister persisted and reminded the Home Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his earlier request for a change of Lieutenant Governor.
Sources present in the meeting said the Chief Minister not only objected to Ms. Bedi — the L-G is also designated as as Administrator — ‘interfering’ in routine decisions but also to her using social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook for official communication.
Though the Congress has not backed the Delhi Chief Minister in his confrontation with L-G Anil Baijal, at the NITI Aayog meeting, the Puducherry Chief Minister is learnt to have said L-Gs and Governors were “arm-twisting elected governments.”
“I can’t divulge outside what issues I spoke on at the meeting,”Mr. Narayanasamy told The Hindu when asked if he had complained about Puducherry L-G.
Refusing to comment on the Delhi situation, Mr. Narayanasamy however, stressed on the difference between the two union territories (UTs).