Not 'rubber stamp governor' to 'sign on dotted line': Bedi

Puducherry Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi on Saturday said Chief Minister V Narayanasamy should not expect her to be a "rubber stamp governor" whose job is to only "sign on the dotted line", days after his "demon" remarks against her.

"The chief minister is unable to accept an administrator who is applying her mind on a case-to-case basis on the files sent to her," she told PTI.

"If you are seeking approval for certain things from the Lt. Governor, you cannot pre-decide your decision. While going through the file obviously I will apply my mind and they can't expect me to sign automatically," she said.

Continuing her diatribe against Narayanasamy for calling her a demon, Bedi also said it may be a case of mistaken identity and offered to help him identify the "real demons".

She alleged that from the day she assumed office in Puducherry, the Congress government expected her to toe its line. "From the beginning their expectation from me was different. Probably they were habituated differently," she said.

She said when she made them understand that she could not be a "rubber stamp governor" who would "sign on the dotted line", they started using "crude, rude and foul" language against her.

Bedi said she will take up the issue with the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister in her monthly report.

She said that for very long, her political opponents have been issuing derogatory statements, pasting posters, drawing cartoons, and displaying vicious caricatures against her. She has complained to the Centre against Naryanasamy and his cabinet colleagues in the past but has not received any reply so far.

"On the one hand, the Congress government demands statehood for Puducherry and on the other, they do not want to accept the current powers and responsibilities of the Lt. Governor as per the constitutional provisions," Bedi said.

"I will continue to discharge my duty with the powers and responsibilities vested on my post under the Union Territories Act, and business and financial powers rules," she said, adding that she was more focussed on her work "rather than his (Narayanasamy's) misbehaviour".

Strongly objecting to the Puducherry chief minister's reference to her as a "demon", Bedi had termed his comments as "unparliamentary, uncalled for, uncivilised, uncouth and unacceptable".

In a WhatsApp message, she asked Narayanasamy to identify many "real demons" who were present in the form of land-grabbers and extortionists in the Union Territory.

These demons, also called rowdies, were now coming under police surveillance, she said while pointing out that Puducherry Director General of Police Balaji Shrivastava had directed opening of history-sheets of all such demons and they would have on record names of all their associates and beneficiaries too.

At the same time, Bedi said she would help the chief minister, if he wants to identify the 'real demons'.

She further said she has been hearing about these "demons" on a regular basis through the open grievances redressal system at Raj Nivas, her official residence.

"Calling me a demon may be a case of mistaken identity," she said, adding, "demons do not make Puducherry water-rich and plant trees, or be vigilant on acts of corruption and ask for a branch of CBI in Puducherry."