Puducherry: Cong, allies call off stir against Lt Governor day ahead of schedule

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.

The ruling Congress-led Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA) in Puducherry on Sunday ended its three-day old agitation demanding the recall of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, a day ahead of the original schedule, citing Pongal festivities.

Puducherry chief minister V Narayanaswamy along with Congress party workers hold a protest near Raj Nivas for the third day demanding the Centre to call back Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi in Puducherry. (ANI)

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who addressed the participants on Sunday, said as the Pongal festival was being celebrated in the union territory the number of days of the protest was reduced from four to three.

The protest was launched on January 8 with the ruling party accusing Bedi of "impeding developmental plans and welfare measures of the elected government."

Initially, the alliance had planned for an indefinite agitation but scaled it down to four days

He, however, said the agitation against Bedi would be carried out in different modes, adding a signature campaign to urge the Lt Governor to leave Puducherry would be held on January 22 and a demonstration would be held on January 29.

Also, Narayanasamy said a day-long bandh between February 15 and 20 were among the other protests planned by the ruling SDA.

He lashed out at Bedi who allegedly had been "impeding all developmental plans with the support of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

"There is a clear plan on the part of the NDA government at the Centre to dismantle the separate status of Puducherry and to merge it with neighbouring Tamil Nadu," he alleged.

"We will not let this happen and we will do any sacrifice...to protect the separate identity of Puducherry," Narayanasamy said in an emotional address.

Meanwhile on the third day of the stir, participants including the Chief Minister were seen holding placards with slogans urging Bedi "to go back".

Ministers and legislators of the ruling Congress and leaders and workers of the parties affiliated to the SDA (except the DMK) participated in the stir which began on Friday.

For the second day, Narayanasamy and the other protestors slept at the venue on Saturday night.

The opposition AIADMK and the BJP however, described the agitation by the SDA as "a politically motivated initiative and an attempt to cover up the Congress government's failure during the last four and half years to fulfill poll promises."

The Centre has deployed Central Armed Police force and Central Industrial Security Force personnel to maintain law and order here.

The SDA had planned to picket Raj Nivas, the office- cum-residence of the Lt Governor, as part of the protest against Bedi for her alleged failure to approve the proposals of the government for various welfare and developmental schemes.

With the police denying permission to hold the protest in front of the Raj Nivas, the ruling SDA shifted the venue to Maraimalai Adigal Salai (more than one kilometre away).

This is the second time that the ruling Congress has embarked upon an "anti-Kiran Bedi agitation" as the party had held a similar stir in February 2019.

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.

Meanwhile, Welfare Minister M Kandasamy commenced what he called an "indefinite dharna" on the premises of the Legislative Assembly, to urge the Lt Governor to approve around 15 schemes relating to the portfolios held by him including Welfare.