Bedi accuses Narayanasamy of crossing line of decorum

In an escalation of the unabated turf war between her and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Sunday accused him of crossing the line of decorum and decency in his criticisms of her in the last few days and counselled him to take the 'dignified' route to air difference of opinion.

She shot off a letter to Narayanasamy expressing her outrage and objection to him calling her "all kinds of derogatory names" and levelling "unfounded accusations" over a considerable period and especially in the last few days and asked him to maintain the dignity of the office he held.

Bedi asked the Chief Minister to recall what Lord Buddha's words that "when any one abuses and the receiver does not accept, it remains with the abuser." The former IPS officer and the Congress government in the union territory have been on a collision course on various issues since her posting here over three years ago and the latter had even demanded her recall, accusing her of "impeding" the functioning of the elected government.

Narayanasamy has stepped up his attack on Bedi and slammed her for rejecting permission for a move to open casinos in the former French colony eyeing to boost revenues and described her as a "woman without conscience" and alleged she was adopting a revengeful attitude against his government.

Last week, he had submitted a memorandum to visiting President Ram Nath Kovind seeking the recall of Bedi, alleging that she had done nothing for the development of Puducherry and instead been "impeding" implementation of various welfare measures and decisions of his cabinet.

Bedi in her letter sent to Narayanasamy by email, a copy of which she shared with the media, said the Chief Minister had been "Calling me and the Constitutional office of the Lt Governor all kinds of derogatory names and heaping unfounded accusations over a considerable period." Particularly over the last few days the Chief Minister "has crossed the line of decorum, dignity and decency," she said.

Maintaining the people at large were aghast at the language being used towards a Constitutional position and office, she expressed the hope that `You will desist from such a behaviour`. "The office of the LT Governor is totally focused on what Puducherry and its people need and is duty bound to ensure that people get what is due to them in letter and spirit," she said in the letter. She concluded asking the Chief Minister to learn "that there is a dignified space for a difference of opinion. Please take that route" and wished the Chief Minister "good health".