Kiran Bedi Shuts Off AIADMK MLA’s Mic Mid-Speech, Triggers Spat

Kiran Bedi later explained that she did so because the MLA had exceeded the time he was allotted to speak.

Tempers were running high as a verbal spat broke out between the elected government in Puducherry and the Centre-appointed Lieutenant Governor. AIADMK MLA A Anbalagan created a ruckus at a meeting when his microphone was switched off during his talk by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi.

The MLA, who represents the Oupalam constituency in Puducherry legislative assembly, was speaking at an event organised by the Government of Puducherry to declare the region as Open Defecation Free (ODF).

Kiran Bedi has responded saying all office bearers ought to follow a respectful decorum.

“Yesterday event was an opportunity for people to know how ODF was achieved. What all went behind it. And what will it take to improve and sustain it. What is going to be a collective role,” she said.

The tussle between the two began when Anbalagan began listing out the schemes that were awaiting approval from the governor. Kiran Bedi had reportedly sent two officials with notes asking to wind up soon. When he didn’t pay heed, she asked the organisers to switch his microphone off.

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Soon, it became a war of words and Kiran Bedi was seen talking with her hands folded telling him to ‘Please go.’ To this, he quickly retorted, ‘Please go.’

“I was raising serious issues concerning my constituency. How can you switch off the mic? Is this the way a government functions?”

Anbalagan, AIADMK Minister

He stormed out saying, “It is wrong to insult an MLA on stage like this. You show your power to the ministers here and not to me.”

She later defended herself saying she did so because he had exceeded the time he was allotted to speak.

“Everyone has a right to express their opinion and views, but no one has a right to make the event only about them and hold all others captive.”

Kiran Bedi, Puducherry Lt Governor

An MLA’s Mike had to b turned off when he persistently rejected any req from panel of Hble Ministers to limit his speech.
He rejected all appeals. He shouted back. I hav seen him do this earlier too. Event was to give away awards for good work done in making Puducherry ODF @ANI

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) October 2, 2018

Talking to reporters later, Anabalagan said he was being denied his right to highlight the plight of his constituency. Calling the ODF declaration a “farce”, he said there were around 400 applicants in his constituency awaiting assistance to construct toilets, reported The Hindu.