Puducherry Chief Minister accuses Lt Governor of choking COVID-19 work

PUDUCHERRY: In continuing turf war between Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and the Congress government, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Sunday took up with the Centre her alleged “unauthorised interventions” in the administration and ‘choking’ of work to control spread of COVID-19.nnHe raised the issue when Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to him over phone to acquaint himself with the present COVID-19 situation in the Union Territory, Narayanasamy told reporters here.nnEarlier, he had levelled similar allegations against Bedi when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him review the coronavirus situation on April 12.nnHe had then told Modi that Bedi was hindering implementation of government’s rice scheme for the above poverty line families during the lockdown, a charged rejected by her.nnReacting to it, Bedi had said the chief minister “misinforms and tells lies so often which is unfortunate.”nnOn Sunday, Narayanasamy told reporters here he told Shah that the UT government was taking “relentless steps” and also informed him about the dedicated services of doctors and others in keeping spread of the infections at bay.nnHe apprised him of the “utterly unauthorised and unnecessary intervention” by Lt Governor in the work done by the government machinery.nn”I also told the Home Minister that Bedi had been causing confusion and chaos in administration by her intervention and also by issuing newer and newer instructions to officials,” the Chief Minister said adding he had sought Shah’s immediate intervention to put an end to the matter.nnShah assured he would take appropriate steps in response to the plea, Naryanasamy, who had been at loggerheads with Bedi on various issues since her posting here, said.nnNarayanasamy also said Vice President M Venkiah Naidu spoke to him on Saturday and appreciated the “good work” Puducherry had been doing to protect the people after he briefed him about the measures being taken.nnThe Chief Minister said those going out of Puducherry to to attend funeral of their kith and kin or for any other emergency purpose should on return remain in quarantine for 14 days.nnHe urged the Centre to make arrangements for evacuating people, including students and businessmen, from the union territory, who had been stranded in foreign countries.nnNarayanasamy said migrant workers in Puducherry also wanted to go back to their native place and sought operation of special trains to facilitate their return.nnSource: Press Trust o fiNdia