Pondy officials need not obey Bedi, says CM Narayanasamy

In his letter to Bedi on Friday, he pointed out that though as an Administrator she had taken oath of office and secrecy, she has been issuing every day all official “secret communications violating the oath of secrecy which was unbecoming of a constitutional authority.” A copy of his letter was distributed to reporters here on Saturday.

Recalling his meeting with Bedi where he had apprised her of Lt Governor’s powers, he said, “You brushed aside whatever I told you about the constitutional powers of the elected government.”

Noting that the Lt Governor was issuing day in and day out orders without authority, which only confused the officials, the Chief Minister said, “They (officials) need not obey the orders of the Lt Governor and can ignore them.”

Narayanasamy, whose government is locked in a running battle with Bedi on various issues in the past two years, said he was “ready to cooperate with the Lt Governor” if she acted on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.

“I am willing to cooperate with you if you do no not block welfare schemes and if you act within the Constitution and the law book,” the Chief Minister said in his letter.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday said, as announced earlier, a life size bronze statue of DMK president late M Karunanidhi would be installed in UT shortly.

A committee comprising Ministers, legislators and political party representatives is being constituted and it will decide the place where the statue has to be erected, the Chief Minister said addressing reporters here.

He also said that a chair would be set up in the Pondicherry Central University,  two roads —one each in Puducherry and Karaikal will be named after Karunanidhi and the PG Centre in Karaikal region will also be named after the former Tamil Nadu chief minister.

Moreover, Narayanasamy announced a financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to Kerala which is ravaged by rain and flood.

He also announced the setting up of a separate account under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to help Kerala and exhorted all sections to contribute liberally by means of cheques or Demand Draft. Relief materials like cloth would also be collected, he added.

He said that he had a telephonic conversation with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the latter explained him about the havoc caused due to rain and flood. It it is the duty and responsibility of us to help the neighbouring state, he added.