'Go Back Bedi': Puducherry CM's agitation against Lt Governor enters third day

This is the second time that such an agitation against Kiran Bedi is being held in Puducherry with the chief minister and his ministerial colleagues and leaders of the alliance parties taking part.

Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy, who is protesting against Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi, said that she is not letting elected government to function and demanded that the Centre should call her back. On Sunday Narayanasamy's protest entered third day.

"She is not allowing the elected government to function and is interfering in day-to-day administration," Narayanasamy was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Some protesters were seen holding a placard that read "BEDI You go! You go!!". Narayanasamy was himself seen carrying a placard that read 'Go Back Bedi'.

Narayanasamy leads the Congress-led Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA) government in Puducherry. Apart from the chief minister, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president A V Subramanian, various ministers, Congress legislators and delegates of different wings of the CPI, CPI(M) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) are participating in the four-day-long agitation. The protest began on Friday.

Although the SDA had earlier decided to hold the agitation near Raj Nivas (office-cum-residence of the Lt Governor), the venue was shifted to Maraimalai Adigal Salai (more than a km away) as police did not give permission in view of an order in force restricting agitations within 500 metres of Raj Nivas and the Assembly.

The Centre has deployed Central Armed Police Force and the Central Industrial Security Force personnel at vantage points to maintain law and order.

This is the second time that such an agitation against Bedi is being held in Puducherry with the chief minister and his ministerial colleagues and leaders of the alliance parties taking part.

The earlier stir was held in February 2019 to push for the demands of reopening the closed industries and public sector undertakings and also for smooth operation of the free rice scheme.

The current agiation is, however, limited to the demand that Bedi be recalled.

Bedi, a former IPS officer, and Narayanasamy have been at loggerheads over various issues ever since she was appointed Lt Governor in May 2016, with the ruling Congress accusing her of going against decisions of the government.