Kiran Bedi charges CM with hampering speed of progress

Puducherry: Giving clear indication that the power struggle between the elected goverment and the Lt Governor has no end in sight, Kiran Bedi on Monday charged Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy with hurting the speed of progress Puducherry by making negative statements about the office of the governor.

“Regular negative statements about the responsibility and accountability of the Lt Governor’s office and exhortations to public officials to undermine the directions of the Lt Governor, I am not sure whether the Chief Minister is realising that he is always hurting the speed of progress Puducherry, of which he is the Chief Minister,” said Ms Bedi in a WhatsApp message to the media persons here.

She was responding to the statement of Mr Narayanasamy that the officials need not follow her orders as she has got no authority to that effect. The Chief Minister had also alleged that the Lt Governor is threatening officials asking them to obey her orders or to face consequences.

The responsibilities of the Lt Governor Office are clearly laid down under the law and rules. And if anyone needs to know, may please read them, said Ms Bedi.
“Even in the recent Supreme Court judgment about Delhi affairs the judges “hastened to add that it does not apply to Puducherry”, she added.

The Lt Governor also charged the Chief Minister with weakening the efforts made by her for the progress of the Union Territory instead of supporting it.

“I have by now spent over 26 months in Puducherry. Had the Chief Minister not weakened the collective efforts, and supported and asked his colleagues too, we would have been number one UT in India in all parameters,” she said in her message.

Reiterating her stand on officials making collective efforts to bring changes as per the suggestions made by her during weekend rounds or to face the actions, the Lt Governor reminded the officials that if they want outstanding reports they have they have to justify them by year round work.

“As far as public officials are concerned senior officers know that LG is their ‘accepting authority’ as per their performance appraisals are concerned. Hence their final assessment gets accepted or rejected here,” she said.

The Lt Governor’s office will continue to serve the people of Puducherry. Ms Bedi urged the Chief Minister to work together to ensure improvement in the services and responsiveness.

“These kinds of public statements from Chief Minister hurt the progress of the UT. These leave officials confused.  To have sustained performance we need to work together with clarity of purpose,” she said.