Bedi overturns Puducherry CM's WhatsApp ban on babus

Pondicherry: Triggering a fresh row between the Lt Governor’s office and the Chief Minister’s office in Puducherry, the executive head of the union territory, Kiran Bedi, on Thursday, rendered null and void CM V Narayanasamy's order banning the use of social media for official work.

Explicitly banning the formation of  groups on WhatsApp and Facebook, the chief minister had issued a notice last week banning the use of social media citing that the servers of these social media applications were located overseas, putting government data in risk.

“Any foreign country can get access to these official communications and documents uploaded which is a violation of Official Secrets Act (OSA) and also against the guidelines issued by the Union Information and Technology Ministry," the statement released by the CMO said.

A senior bureaucrat was also suspended by Bedi from his services last week for posting an obscene video in a WhatsApp group formed by her to interact with senior officials of the administration.

The ruling party in the state is furious with the Lt Governor for taking action against the officer bypassing the government and without the knowledge of the Chief Minister.

There were earlier allegations that Bedi was interfering in the functioning of the state government and over stepping her authority, triggering off speculations of a Delhi like situation.