Narayanasamy faults Pondy CM Rangasamy

Puducherry: Union minister of state for PMO V. Naray­ana­samy Sunday said chief minister N. Rangasamy should not have made comments against Lt. Governor Virendra Kataria as it had given rise to the current tussle.

“Although I am an MP from Puducherry, I do not want to intervene as it is a matter relating to the territorial administration. Ho­wever, if the Pud­uch­erry government takes any steps that are injurious to the interest of the welfare of the people, I cannot remain a mute spectator,” he told mediapersons.

Narayanasamy said the Lt Governor had alr­eady invited Ran­ga­samy to extend cooperation in the governance of the Union territory. Rangasamy should respond to the request, he said.
Asked whether the Ce­ntre would depute a team to go into the row between the two top administrative heads of the Union territory, he said, “I am not the competent person to respond.”

He charged the Puducherry government with failing to implement the poll promises anno­unced in the party’s manifesto. The monthly old age pension should have been raised to Rs 2,000 as had been promised in the manifesto. I thank the chief minister for approving the applications recommended by me for the payment of monthly assistance. But he should implement the poll promises, he added.

Next: Talks between fishermen will ensure good solution: Minister

Talks between fishermen will ensure good solution: Minister

Chennai: Union minister of state in PMO V. Naray­ana­samy exuded hope that the talks between fishermen representatives of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka on January 27 will ensure a good solution, thus ending the territorial disputes and harassment of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

“The talks will be an opportunity to prevent arrests of fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seizure of their vessels by Lankan naval personnel,” Narayan­asamy said. Speaking to reporters, he said the parleys would help to arrive at an understanding between fishermen of both the countries as to where they could fish besides serving as an ideal platform to prevent the attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen and seizure of their boats.

He said the decision to convene a meeting between fishermen associations was taken following requests for a permanent solution from the leaders of fishermen from Vedharanyam and Karaikal districts. “We have been attempting to hold the talks over the last one-and-a-half ye­ars,” he said and denied that the Congress had attempted to gain political mileage out of it.

Asked about Congress stand in the February 7 Rajya Sabha polls in the state for which the DMK had already announced its candidate, the minister said it was upto the Congress President Sonia Gandhi to decide the party’s stand. DMK, a former ally of the Congress-led UPA at the centre announced ‘Tiruchi’ R. Siva as its candidate for the Rajya S abha polls.