The territorial assembly today adopted by voice vote, a resolution tabled by the Chief Minister N Rangasamy urging the Centre to grant statehood for Puducherry, a Union Territory now.
All the seven legislators belonging to the opposition Congress staged a walk out, when the resolution was about to be adopted, to mark their protest against refusal of the chair to replace "statehood" contained in the resolution with "statehood with special category status".
Leader of the opposition V Vaithilingam who led the walk out, earlier said that if Puducherry became a mere state there would be several bottlenecks and sufferings. The government should insist "statehood with special category status for Puducherry", he said.
Mere powers for the government without being able to mobilise funds in the event of Statehood would be of no help. He said the resolution be modified to insist "statehood with special category status".
Vaithilingam also insisted the government could hold a referendum to enlist the views of the people on the issue. With his plea for modification of the resolution not conceded, he along with his party colleagues staged a walk out.
All the five legislators of AIADMK and the two DMK MLAs in the opposition block supported the resolution and urged the Centre to concede the plea of the government.
Moving the resolution, the Chief Minister said, "We have not been able to execute the schemes expeditiously and we have to approach the Centre to appoint staff in Groups A and B and even in offering promotions to the staff of the government. There are several difficulties in the present status of Union Territory and hence we insist statehood be granted".
Rangasamy said he was fully confident that "the present new government at the Centre would concede our plea".
