NE NEWS SERVICE
PUDUCHERRY, OCT 9
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Friday accused the Centre of encroaching upon the fiscal and administrative powers of the elected government here with an ”intention” to dismantle the separate identity of the union territory and merge it with neighbouring states.
09-10-2020 | Press meeting Highlights from #Puducherry video part-2 pic.twitter.com/9dDEl0xbW3
— Office of Ex CM V Narayanasamy (@ExcmPuducherry) October 9, 2020
The Narendra Modi government was acting upon whatever recommendation Lt Governor Kiran Bedi was submitting to it on modalities of implementing welfare schemes evolved by the elected government and “this is a clear case of the Centre encroaching upon the administrative powers of the government,” he told a press meet here.
It had been encroaching upon the financial powers of the Puducherry government and its administrative independence as “no sufficient funds are earmarked,” Narayanasamy said.
By such ”intrusion” into the rights of the elected government on various issues “the Centre exposes its intention to dismantle the separate identity of Puducherry and merge the Union Territory with neighbouring states,” he alleged, repeating a charge he made a few days ago. Puducherry has regions spread over three states.
While Karaikal is located in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Mahe in Kerala and Yanam in Andhra Pradesh. He claimed the local unit of the BJP was seeking action against him for the merger charge and said neither he nor his cabinet colleagues or the ruling Congress leaders were afraid of the BJP’s “witch hunt”.
“I am ready to face any action by the Centre for my charge against it,” the Chief Minister said. Narayanasamy said the Centre had been consistently rejecting Puducherry government’s plea that the UT be included as a constituent of the Central Finance Commission.
He said funds were not available from the Centre under the budget of Puducherry and also to tide over the current COVID-19 situation. Most of the political parties in Puducherry “are in deep slumber even when the Centre is encroaching upon the fiscal and administrative powers of the elected government,” he added.
