Pondy CM petitions President to recall Guv Kiran Bedi

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Wednesday sought the intervention of President Ram Nath Kovind to immediately recall Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, saying she has been "impeding" implementation of various welfare measures and decisions of his cabinet.

Talking to reporters here, the Chief Minister said he had presented a detailed memorandum to the President during the latter visit to the Union Territory on December 23 to participate in convocation. "I have requested the President to intervene and recall Kiran Bedi as Lt Governor," he said.

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He said he had pointed out in the memorandum that Bedi had not contributed anything to the development of Puducherry ever since she became the Lt Governor. Narayanasamy had also stated that the Lt Governor was functioning "arbitrarily" and was seeking to run a parallel government and the schemes that would see the light of the day were facing hiccups because of hurdles she was placing. He said he had therefore urged the President to intervene and recall Kiran Bedi as Lt Governor of Puducherry immediately.

The Congress government had earlier also demanded that the Centre recall Bedi. The Chief Minister said he had also highlighted in the memorandum, various administrative and fiscal issues the government headed by him has been facing for last three years. He pleaded for grant of Statehood to Puducherry and apprised the President of number of resolutions adopted on the floor of the Assembly since 1987 pushing for it.

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The President assured to go into the demands, he added. Criticising the Centre for introducing new citizenship law, the Chief Minister said this legislation and the NRC were "ill conceived" and were aimed at achieving the goal of "Hindutva" championed by the BJP. All secular parties would hold a big rally here on Thursday under the leadership of the ruling Congress to protest the CAA and NRC.

Referring to the incident where a Post Graduate woman candidate wearing a 'hijab' was allegedly prevented from attending the annual convocation at Pondicherry University, he said he was preoccupied with the convocation ceremony with President Ram Nath Kovind, the chief guest of the function. "I was not aware of the sufferings the graduate faced," he said adding he had however asked the Vice Chancellor of the University to hold an inquiry into the incident and send him a report. "Why was the candidate kept out of the auditorium?" Narayanasamy asked and said he had sought detailed reports from the university and the DGP.

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