Bedi sends files to Centre without cabinet approval, 'hindering' development: CM

Addressing reporters on his return to Puducherry from Delhi, V Narayanasamy said Lt Governor Kiran Bedi sends files to Centre without approving them from the cabinet.

Puducherry:Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Thursday hit out at Lt Governor Kiran Bedi for 'unnecessarily' sending almost all the files related to development and welfare schemes proposed by his government to the Centre for its opinion, thereby 'hindering' development.

Addressing reporters on his return to Puducherry from Delhi after meeting Central Ministers, he said his government had taken a decision to earmark 10 percent horizontal quota of reservation for students from government schools who had cleared the NEET in medical courses.

"The decision for 10 percent quota was a unanimous resolve of all the political parties who had participated in a meeting some days ago," he said.

The decision was sent to Bedi for approval so that students from rural areas with NEET qualification could go in for medical courses.

However, the Lt Governor forwarded the file to the Union Home Ministry without justification.

He alleged that Bedi delays the availability of the quota to the students from rural areas particularly when counselling is to be completed soon.

Narayanasamy said he had represented to the Union Home Minister over phone before he met the Secretary to the Ministry seeking approval of the 10 percent quota for government schools in medicine. "The Home Minister had assured me that he would go into the representation," the Chief Minister said.

Accusing the Lt Governor of functioning like a "dictator" the CM said, "there is absolutely no necessity for her to forward each and every file of the government seeking her approval to the Centre which only delayed implementation of welfare and developmental schemes."

He said as many as 40 files were sent by her to the central government and they were hanging in the balance.

"I had represented to President, Prime Minister and Home Minister on the situation arising out of the style of functioning of Lt Governor. I do not know what action they had taken in response to my representations," he said.

"We are answerable to the people, to the unemployed youth and for development of Puducherry. Bedi never comes out of her office and we are accountable to the people," he said.

Calling on the former IPS officer to stop putting 'blockades' in implementation of the schemes, the Chief Minister said, "if Bedi cooperated with the government we would scale greater heights in development and promoting welfare of the people."

He listed the various steps taken by the government facing hindrances because of the 'dictatorial attitude' of Bedi.

"We want to encourage industrialists to set up units in Puducherry. But the intervention and attitude to delay matters by Bedi is a major hurdle.

She must put a full stop to such attitude forthwith and instead cooperate with the government," he said.

PTI