L-G Kiran Bedi hopes Puducherry stalemate will end soon

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 18

Amid the ongoing political tussle between Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, the former IPS officer on Monday hoped the cabinet would soon return to their offices and the municipal park near the Raj Nivas, where the ministers are sitting on a dharna, be made available for morning walkers.

“I am hoping that after the evening meeting on Monday, the cabinet will return to their offices. And visitors to Raj Nivas can come; also, petitioners for open house. And the municipal park across Raj Nivas is made available for morning walkers,” Bedi told The Tribune.  

In response to a question on the “Kejriwal-type dharna politics” becoming popular, she said, “A journalist asked me an interesting question, ‘Is dharna also yoga?’ I said, ‘Yes, it is. It depends on the purpose for which you sit...what kind of ‘asanas’ you perform and the ‘sound’ you create.’”

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy Manish Sisodia will be in Puducherry in support of Narayanasamy and protesting DMK MLAs against Bedi’s “style of functioning”.

Narayanasamy has said that his dharna outside the Raj Nivas, seeking Bedi’s approval for his government’s proposals on welfare schemes and administrative matters would intensify into a “jail bharo” agitation from February 20.

He said, “Our protest will continue till our demands, contained in the letter sent to the Lt Governor on February 7, are met.”

He has accused Bedi of not approving his government’s 39 proposals for welfare schemes, including a free rice scheme. 

Terming the dharna “unlawful”, Bedi in turn offered to discuss all issues with him at a public forum on February 21.

The two have been at loggerheads on various administrative issues ever since the BJP leader was appointed L-G of Puducherry.