Anti-Bedi bandh hits normal life in Pondicherry

Puducherry: Normal life was disrupted in Puducherry on Saturday following a bandh called by DMK, left parties, VCK and other outfits to condemn the style of functioning of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and to protest against the nomination of three BJP members to the territorial assembly by the Central government allegedly following the direction of Ms Bedi.

Barring a few incidents of stone pelting at buses, the bandh passed off peacefully. Most commercial establishments in urban and rural areas of Puducherry remained closed fearing backlash. Public transport facilities, including buses and autorickshaws, remained off roads. Schools and colleges too remained closed.

Miscreants pelted stones at four state owned buses and windscreens were damaged in the attack. Bandh supporters, including cadres belonging to DMK staged protests at different locations.

Police said around 300 volunteers of VCK were arrested during their protest in front of Raj Nivas shouting slogans against the Lt Governor.

Besides this DMK legislator R Siva, CPI secretary R. Viswanathan, the CPI (M) secretary R. Rajangam, leaders of various outfits were taken into custody after they staged a road roko at Orleanpet junction dema-nding cancellation of the order of Union home ministry appointing the nominated MLAs.

At the same time Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy told reporters here that the induction of three members by Bedi “is a shame on the Constitution and the democratic norms and conventions.”

Only the Speaker is the constitutional authority to induct any member as legislator of the House, he added. The Chief Minister said two days ago he visited the capital, and he met party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad .

He apprised them in detail about the political developments in the Union Territory and the present situation here in Puducherry. Both of them assured to take up the issue of the nominated members in Parliament, he added.

BANDH UNNECESSARY

 Lt Governor Kiran Bedi said the bandh called by political parties in Puducherry was ‘most unwanted’. “The bandh is against performance not against non-performance, against honesty, integrity,  activism,”she said.