Indirectly referring to recent criticism against her for convening a meeting to discuss development plans for Puducherry at the Raj Nivas, Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday said she had no intention of taking away powers from the elected government or work in a unilateral way.
Speaking at a function held at the Raj Nivas to mark the one year anniversary of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the Lt. Governor said a section of people were trying to create a false narrative that she was working in a unilateral way. “I have never worked with the intention to grab power or in a unilateral way. I got an opportunity to serve the people of a territory who speak my mother tongue. The combined effort of all during the last one year has helped the Union Territory achieve many strides. Some people are trying to create a false impression,” she said.
Stating that the Union government was keen on Puducherry’s development, she said the visits of Union Ministers and officials from the Centre, especially those from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, showed the importance attached to the Union Territory’s development.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had agreed to address all grievances raised by the political parties on the functioning of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Ms. Soundararajan said. “We have not surrendered any rights to the Centre. In fact, the Union government is keen on the development of the Union Territory and is working closely with the administration,” she said.
Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Speaker R. Selvam, Minister for Home A. Namassivayam, Minister for Public Works K. Lakshminarayanan, Minister for Civil Supplies A. K Sai J Saravana Kumar, BJP president V. Saminathan, legislators belonging to AINRC, BJP, Independents and senior officials attended the function.
