CM's wife died as she was not wearing helmet, still obstructing enforcement of rule: Kiran Bedi

Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on Thursday defended her decision to enforce the helmet rule in Puducherry, saying that Chief Minister V Narayanasamy's wife died in a two-wheeler accident, but he is now calling her autocratic for telling people to wear a helmet.

"His wife died in a road accident because she wasn't wearing a helmet while riding a scooter. That was a few years ago. It is tragic... If I go on the road and I tell people to wear a helmet, he says it's autocratic," Bedi said while talking to the media here.

Criticising the agitation being led by Narayanasamy, she said that the Chief Minister should have waited for her reply after writing a letter on several issues.

"He (CM) wrote a letter to me on February 7 on 36 issues, some of which don't exist or have been settled. I received it on February 8. Yesterday, he sits on a dharna saying he demands a reply. The letter didn't say that if you don't reply by February 13, I will sit on a dharna," Bedi said.

The L-G also said that she has already invited the Chief Minister for a discussion on the issues.

"I wrote to him (Puducherry CM) a letter that 'you are welcome to come and see me on February 21 at 10 am, as I am on a tour till February 20 starting today. I will return on February 20 midnight. And tell me what could be more right. He is still sitting there. He isn't allowing people to wear a helmet. One Puducherry citizen dies every third day. I have asked the police to enforce the decision. He is committing contempt of court and I am only carrying out my duty," Bedi said.

Bedi has been at loggerheads with the Puducherry government on various issues with Narayanasamy accusing her of delaying clearance to welfare schemes and bypassing the elected government.

Since Wednesday evening, the Puducherry Chief Minister is sitting on protest in front of Raj Nivas and is demanding that the central government should recall the Governor.