AICC secretary blames Centre for delay in Puducherry budget presentation

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary in-charge of Puducherry, Sanjay Dutt on Tuesday accused the Union Government and Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi of “blatantly defying” the people’s mandate by preventing the Congress government from presenting the budget and initiating welfare measures.

“It is very clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi have been continuously insulting the people of Puducherry, blatantly defying people’s mandate given to Congress in the Assembly elections by stalling welfare, development initiatives and now even purposely delaying budget clearance,” Mr. Dutt said in a statement.

Stating that people are supreme in a democracy, the AICC leader said the electorate of the Union Territory would give a “befitting reply to the BJP government’s anti-Puducherry stance in the next Assembly elections.”

He accused the Centre of “deliberately” delaying the budget proposal even though “all the mandatory parameters and norms were abided by and followed by the government.”

“It is very obvious that such delaying tactics of the Centre are politically motivated, malafide and malicious conspiracy aimed at targeting the Congress government of Puducherry,” the statement said.