AIADMK MLA raises privilege issue against Kiran Bedi

AIADMK MLA A.Anbalagan Wednesday approached the Puducherry Assembly Speaker alleging breach of his privilege as a legislator by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, a day after she asked him to cut short his speech at a government function.

In a petition submitted to Speaker V Vaithilingam, the MLA, leader of the four-member AIADMK legislature party, said Bedi 'prevented' him from speaking by asking officials to switch off the mike and 'ordered' him to leave the venue.

Claiming that the Lt Governor had breached his privilege, he said appropriate action should be taken by the Speaker on the basis of his representation.

The MLA had picked up an argument with Bedi after she asked him to cut short his speech at a function here Tuesday where Puducherry was declared open defecation free as he 'exceeded' the time allotted.

Bedi had accused Anbalagan of being rude and claimed she had witnessed similar 'misbehaviour' by him in the past, while the MLA, who left the venue in a huff, claimed he had been insulted and slammed her, asking "is the Lt Governor a Princess in Puducherry?"
Accompanied by three other AIADMK members, Anbalagan met the Speaker at his office and submitted the petition in which he said Bedi: "deliberately prevented me from going ahead with my speech at the function... preventing me from airing my views and suggestions on the implementation of the Swachch Bharat scheme in Puducherry."