Puducherry CM Storms Out of R-Day Event, Guv Bedi Demands Apology

The Puducherry government and Governor Kiran Bedi have been at loggerheads since the latter assumed office in 2016.

File photo of Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy and Governor Kiran Bedi 

(Photo: The Quint)

The tussle between Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and Governor Kiran Bedi took an ugly turn on Sunday, 26 January, when the chief minister stormed out of a Republic Day function, NDTV reported on Tuesday, 28 January.

Narayanasamy refused to honour two Padma Shri recipients from Puducherry stating that he was not informed earlier, the report said. He called it a breach of procedure, and also demanded an apology from Bedi.

Bedi, however, accused the CM of disrespecting the Padma Shri awardees. Author Manoj Das, and terracotta artist VK Munusamy Krishnapakthar are the two awardees from the Union Territory. 

"We invited both the Awardees so that Puducherrians get an immediate opportunity to greet these national heroes. Both the Padma Awardees were gracious to attend even at such short notice. Once present in the audience our Comptroller Raj Nivas Asha Gupta considered it respectful to recognise the presence of the Padma Awardees by requesting the Chief Minister to present a shawl to them," Bedi had said in a statement on Monday, 27 January.

Bedi further said that instead of welcoming the offer, the CM shouted at the officials in front of the awardees, asking them how this could be done without prior permission.

(With inputs from NDTV)