Officials advise Puducherry CM to hold dharna against LG 500 metres away from Raj Nivas

PUDUCHERRY: The district administration on Tuesday advised the Congress and its allies to organise their proposed dharna led by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his cabinet colleagues on January 8 at a distance of 500 metres from Raj Nivas and not in front of it. The announcement of a dharna by the Chief Minister demanding the recall of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has stirred a hornet's nest in Puducherry.

At a meeting convened by District Collector Purva Garg with representatives of the Congress and its alliance parties on Tuesday, in response to their letter seeking permission to hold the dharna, she advised them to organise it near Immaculate Cathedral Conception Church, which is about 500 metres from Raj Nivas and also limit the number of persons in view of Sec144 Cr P.C being in force.

The decision of the Congress which is leading the agitation is not yet known, but some allies said they have rejected the advice and wanted permission to stage the dharna in front of Raj Nivas.

They have cited the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy’s statement that he and his colleagues are not bothered about their posts and positions and are ready to face any consequences for the agitation. His cabinet colleagues, legislators and leaders and cadres of all alliance parties would take part in the agitation, the Chief Minister had said.

The Congress and its allies have already taken to the streets and organised street corner meetings for three days now to mobilise public support.

Meanwhile, AIADMK (East) secretary and legislature party leader A Anbazhagan on Tuesday demanded that the Director General of Police (DGP) issue orders for the arrest of Chief Minister V Narayanasamy as a precautionary measure as he is scheduled to lead an agitation in front of the Raj Nivas on January 8 violating the orders of the district administration amid the COVID pandemic.

While the Chief Minister has cited that Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has posed hurdles in welfare and development of the UT, the AIADMK leader accused him of trying to gain political mileage by confusing the people. Alleging that the government is not concerned about the people, he said it should be dismissed or else in order to hold the assembly elections in a fair way, it should be kept in abeyance till the polls.

If the Congress-DMK government was allowed to continue, there is no possibility of holding the assembly elections in a fair manner, he said and demanded that the central government and the Election Commission of India initiate action.

With Congress alliance partner DMK distancing itself from the dharna, the AIADMK leader urged the Lt Governor to take immediate steps to press the government for a confidence vote in the territorial assembly.

In these circumstances, the leader of the opposition and the President of NR Congress are maintaining silence and adopting a wait and watch policy.