Puducherry Min alleges 'irregularities' in L-G Kiran Bedi's office; says he'll write to PM

The ruling Congress party in Puducherry alleged that various irregularities are taking place in the Union Territory's Lt Governor's office. Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao informed that he will submit a letter of complaint regarding the abuse of power by LG Kiran Bedi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"There are various irregularities taking place in the Puducherry Lt Governor's office...I will submit a letter of complaint to the Home Minister and PM regarding the abuse of power by the Puducherry Lt Governor," Rao told ANI.

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Narayanasamy govt versus L-G Kiran Bedi

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has been at loggerheads with L-G Kiran Bedi over several issues. Recently, on June 27, the Chief Minister said that the territorial government would soon file a petition in the Madras High Court against Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi for allegedly violating its order. The court had said that she must implement the government's decisions and abstain from taking an independent stance. "Bedi has been acting arbitrarily and taking negative stand on all decisions of the government violating the court order based on an appeal," the Chief Minister said.

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He further said that the High Court in an appeal filed by a Congress legislator some months ago, pointed out in its verdict clearly that the Lieutenant Governor had no independent power. "She (Bedi) cannot act arbitrarily and take her own decisions without implementing the decisions of the government on various issues," he said while alleging that she was breaching the court order.

"We will move the court for directions to her as she has of late impeding government decisions on such issues like paying compensation to fishermen for loss of work during ban on fishing in the sea, addressing the grievances of workers in government undertakings and in implementing free rice scheme through ration shops in the Union Territory," he said.

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Earlier, the Congress-DMK coalition led government also criticised Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi for allegedly derailing the good work done by officials of various departments to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Union Territory.

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(With ANI inputs)