Puducherry: As the dharna by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy outside the Raj Nivas entered the fourth day on Saturday, Lt Governor Kiran Bedi wrote an open letter stating that she was “open to discussing all issues in an open public forum” on February 21.
In the letter addressed to people, Bedi said she was ready for the discussion with the Chief Minister, his Cabinet colleagues and members of the public along with the chief secretary and the finance secretary and others.”
In her open letter, Ms Bedi said that on financial issues the discussion would help inform the people how carefully her office had worked to save money for the poor, be it for rice, wages of AFT (Anglo-French Textile) Mill or Swadeshi Mill, or sugar mills.
“Look forward to our meeting with HCM (Honourable Chief Minister) and his Cabinet colleagues and our concerned secretaries on Feb 21 at 10 am. Hopefully by then the road will be cleared for public,” she wrote.
Bedi, who has been at loggerheads with Narayanasamy on several issues, claimed that her office had tried to work for the betterment of Puducherry, to make it cleaner, safer, greener, healthier and with water for agriculture, drinking and sanitation but this was resisted by “vested interests.”
“Efforts were also made to strictly work within the allocated budgets passed by the Legislative Assembly so that we do not borrow more (within limits) which shall have to be paid back by our children after some years. We have also tried to ensure that money meant for the poor and needy is not diverted (sic),” she said. “Where there is no money allocated, where do we give from.”
Bedi claimed that after a long time staff in the Tourism Corporation were receiving over Rs 1 crore of their Provident Fund because of proper financial administration. She said gratuity for ATF and others would be given because “we have saved their money from the grant in aid,” she added.
Bedi said the administration was bound by the grant in aid financial rules which were being violated all along. The practice had now been stopped. “It is this which has disturbed the CM the most,” the letter said.
She apologised to the public for the inconvenience caused by road blocks and the drumbeats at night long in and around the Raj Nivas.
