Development projects hit by Kiran Bedi, says Puducherry CM
Narayanasamy said that his government would not be in a position to submit the files sought by the CVC.
Puducherry: The war of words between the Congress-led Puducherry government and Lt Governor Kiran Bedi refuses to die down with the Chief Minister once again accusing Ms Bedi of obstructing the implementation of various state development projects.
The Lt Governor recently wrote a letter to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for a probe into alleged irregularities in the purchase of two luxury boats for the boat house of the Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation in 2015, following which the CVC had sought a clarification from government. Mr Narayanasamy said that his government would not be in a position to submit the files sought by the CVC.
"The Lt Governor directly wrote a letter to the CVC without bringing the matter to the notice of the Chief Minister or the minister of the concerned department, so there is no room for claiming quasi-judicial powers here," said the Chief Minister while talking to reporters here. Government will register a strong protest in this matter and write an appropriate letter to the CVC, he added.
Agriculture minister R Kamalakanman, who was also present, charged the Lt Governor with complicating the decision of the Puducherry government to waive loans availed by 5,000 farmers from cooperative banks in the Union Territory. The cabinet file relating to the decision was sent to Ms Bedi, but she had sent the file to the Centre for further clarification, complicating the whole issue, though this was within the purview of government, said the minister and accused Ms Bedi of unnecessarily delaying the issue.