Puducherry CM, Lt Governor Kiran Bedi lock horns again

Puducherry: Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayansamy and Lt Governor Kiran Bedi were once again locked  in heated exchange of words with the Chief Minister charging the Lt Governor with functioning more like an 'opponent' of Congress led government with an 'authoritarian' attitude and spreading wrong information about Centre's grant to the Union Territory .

"She is ignoring elected representatives. In spite of sending several letters to her and to the Union Home Ministry that she should not intervene in the day-to-day affairs of the administration, the Union government has failed to take any action," said the Chief Minister.

 Mr Narayasamy who is engaged in a running battle with the Lt Governor, charged Ms Bedi of spreading misleading information through social media platforms that Centre was providing grants at 60 per cent of the total budget requirements of Union Territory.

 "The central government is providing 26 per cent of budget needs as grants, not 60 per cent as claimed by Ms Bedi. For the fiscal 2018-2019 the central grant was only Rs 1,460 crore out of Rs 7,830 crore. Ms Bedi is spreading lies and misleading people," he alleged.

 Condemning the "autocratic style of working" of the Lt Governor, the chief minister registered strong protest against Ms Bedi for conducting meetings with officials and giving directions to them.

The Chief Minister alleged that the Central government is using Ms Bedi as a political weapon against the Congress government in the Union Territory.

Replying to the allegations, Ms Bedi said the Chief Minister is misleading people and urged him to make public statements with a 'sense of responsibility'.

Refuting allegations that the Lt Governor is blocking files, Ms Bedi said her office is only supporting the government and trying to find community support when there is a shortage of money.

Pointing out the charges of corruption made by Chief Minister against fund collection through Corporate Social Responsibility Scheme by Raj Nivas, Ms Bedi said "One hand HCM does not have the money, on the other hand HCM obstructs when the community does.

Regarding central grants provided to Puducherry, Ms Bedi said that she was commenting on the matter as per the data provided to her.

"My financial statement given to me is as per information provided to me by the finance secretary. If anyone wants a clarification please talk to him," she said.

Criticising Mr Narayansamy for wasting time in finding faults with the functioning of the office of the Lt Governor , Ms Bedi said the Chief Minister needs to tell people when local body elections will be held and when he will bring Lokayukta for the UT as directed by the Supreme Court.

Ms Bedi said people want to know how the Chief Minister is going to revive sick government companies  and provide for salaries and wages for employees, how he is going to realise Rs 50 crore arrears of excise revenue and Rs 250 crore of sales tax arrears and how to generate employment for youth.