Congress-Led Alliance in Puducherry Stages Protest, Seeks Recall of Lt Governor

Puducherry: The ruling Congress-led Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA) in Puducherry on Friday began its four-day long agitation here demanding recall of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi for allegedly "impeding developmental plans and welfare measures of the elected government."

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who took part in the agitation, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bedi "hatched a conspiracy to dismantle the separate status of Puducherry by merging it with Tamil Nadu."

He accused the Prime Minister and Bedi of being keen on depriving the people of Puducherry of their rights.

"Our fight for our rights would continue and we would not be cowed down by any measure by the Centre," the chief minister said in an emotional address to participants at the protest.

Although the SDA had earlier decided to hold the agitation by picketing Raj Nivas (office-cum-residence of the Lt Governor), the venue was shifted to Maraimalai Adigal Salai (more than a km away) as police did not give permission in view of an order in force restricting agitations within 500 metres of Raj Nivas and the  Assembly.

Narayanasamy said that the fight by the parties to seek recall of Lt Governor should be peaceful.

"We should draw inspiration from the farmers now holding agitations at the borders of New Delhi to urge repeal of the three Agriculture Reforms Bill," he added.

Narayanasamy urged the people of the union territory to stand firmly and be prepared for any 'sacrifice' to ensure that the Centre recalled the Lt Governor Bedi as "she has been obstructing several welfare schemes decided by the elected government ever since she assumed office in 2016."

Apart from Narayanasamy, the lone Lok Sabha Member from Puducherry V Vaithilingam, AICC Secretary Sanjay Dutt, Congress legislator T Jayamoorthy, leaders of the CPI, CPI(M) and VCK also participated in the protest.

Leaders and workers of the DMK, an ally of the ruling Congress were not present at the agitation and reason for their absence could not be known immediately.

The Centre had already deployed the Central Armed Police Force and the Central Industrial Security Force personnel at vantage points here to maintain law and order.

Although the Chief Minister was claiming that the agitation would continue "till Kiran Bedi left Puducherry", the duration of the stir has been reduced to four days.

This is the second time that such an agitation against Bedi is being held herewith the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues and leaders of the alliance parties taking part.

The earlier stir was held in February 2019 to push the demands for reopening of the closed industries and public sector undertakings and also for smooth operation of the free rice scheme.

The present stir is limited to the demand that Bedi be recalled, sources in the Congress said.