Political churning around Lt Governor in Puducherry

While the AIADMK sought the resignation of Congress Chief Minister V Narayanasamy citing continued intervention of LG Kiran Bedi, the CPM on Thursday charged that she was making constant efforts to impose ‘anti-people’ policies of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre in the Union Territory. 

AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbazhagan said Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy should resign if Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi continue to intervene in the policy decisions of the elected government here. 

The Lt Governor and Chief Minister one after the other have been creating an impression among the people that they are in touch with the Prime Minister and Ministers in New Delhi to get funds for Puducherry just to project themselves in the media. For the purpose they utilised Puducherry as a turf to play and “cheated” the people, he charged. 

Anbazhagan further said that the LG do not know what to do and what should not and added “Some officials for promoting themselves are giving misleading suggestions to her. The Chief Minister who is supposed to pull up such officials is shirking from taking action,” he charged. He said both the LG and CM should shed their egos and ensure the development of the UT. 

CPM Secretary R Rajangam condemned the Lt Governor for her over enthusiasm in propagating cashless transactions in the Union Territory. He exhorted the people to come forward to fight against the action of the LG.

Political leaders cutting across party lines in Puducherry came out sharply against the scrapping of high value currency notes and promotion of the digital banking scheme by the Centre.

Former Education Minister and ruling Congress MLA K Lakshminarayanan said that the implementation of “demonetisation and e-banking have already started hitting the poor, and petty vendors in Puducherry.” The demonetisation move has wrecked the daily-wage earners and those in the rural areas, he claimed.

“It would be difficult to implement the digital banking or electronic mode of payment,” he observed. CPM leader T Murugan charged the PM and Lt Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi with “having joined hands to inflict sufferings on the poor and have-nots by their adherence to e-banking and electronic payments.” 

“Workers in the unorganised sector are bearing the brunt of the scheme which cannot be practically feasible and it would also be impossible for the poor wage earners to have knowledge of e-wallets, debit and credit cards and swipe machines,” he said. 

Meanwhile, AIADMK legislature wing leader A Anbalagan censured the order issued by the Finance department to all Heads of departments that they adopt digital transactions with immediate effect. He further said if the CM was firm in resisting the Centre’s directive, the Congress men should jointly take up the issue before the PM in Delhi.

Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has said that the territorial government’s order to all departments to adopt digital transactions is a proof of its resolve to reduce corruption. In a twitter message on Wednesday, she had said that the order of the Finance department mandating digital transactions “shows our resolve to reduce corruption in government.” Secretary to Finance V Candavelou has directed all the heads of departments, to hereafter adopt only digital transactions and e-banking.