Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi on Saturday left for New Delhi after she was called up to the Capital in the middle of the tour of Karaikal.
Her sudden trip to Delhi assumes significance amid a meltdown in ties between the Raj Nivas and the Congress government in Puducherry.
The ties between Ms. Bedi and the government have hit rock bottom after the Puducherry Municipal Commissioner, considered her confidant, was removed and put on compulsory wait by Speaker V. Vaithilingam until the Assembly Privileges Committee disposed of a complaint raised against the official by AIADMK (Amma) MLA A. Baskar.
In spite of missives from the Lt. Governor, who was away at that time, the Chief Secretary in order to avoid contempt of the House, had issued an order giving additional charge of the municipality to S. Ganessin.
When on Monday, Mr. Chandirasekaran, on the instructions of Ms. Bedi reported for duty at the Municipality office, he had to retreat after the Government appointee assumed charge with police protection ordered by the Speaker. Mr. Chandirasekaran was left facing another charge of contempt for disobeying the Speaker’s transfer ruling.
The Privileges Committee also summoned Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor G. Theva Neethi Dhas to reply to the proceedings of the contempt of the house before April 19 on charges of “abetting R. Chandirasekaran to act as the Commissioner of Pondicherry Municipality against a ruling given by the Speaker.”
Ms. Bedi, who lashed out against the developments in a series of tweets, then trained her guns on the Chief Secretary. “The irresponsible and immature conduct of the Chief Secretary has brought huge anguish and rift in the governance of Puducherry,” she tweeted.
However, Mr. Manoj Parida said, “The Chief Secretary, who at the highest level, is accountable to the Ministry of Human Affairs, has full powers to give additional charge to any officer temporarily. Besides, in this matter, the Speaker’s orders are final and binding,” he said.
It is also pointed out that neither has the Ministry of Home Affairs nor the Lt. Governor have yet issued any order overruling the Chief Secretary’s decision.
Meanwhile, barring the BJP, political parties across the spectrum are ranged against the Lt. Governor. An all-party delegation plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister to press for Ms. Bedi’s recall.
Ms. Bedi has not backed down yet and has reaffirmed her stand that she would not be a figurehead administrator. Ironically, it is a similar refusal to be a lame-duck administration by the Congress Ministry with the mandate of the people behind it, that forms the crux of the crisis in Puducherry.
(With inputs from Rajesh B. Nair)
