Governor sparks row in Tamil Nadu
Blatant interference by the new governor of Tamil Nadu, Banwarilal Purohit, has drawn flak from opposition parties, even as the ruling Anna DMK remains tight-lipped
Blatant interference by the new governor of Tamil Nadu, Banwarilal Purohit, HAS Drawn lak fromoppositionpartiesonwednesday, evenastherulingannadmkremained tight-lipped.
Purohit held discussions with Coimbatore District Collector TN Hariaharan ANDOTHEROFICIALSONTUESDAYANDINSPECTED several places in the city. The collector briefed him on the district administration.
While a governor is never expected to cross lines drawn in the Constitution, Purohit said on Wednesday he will carry out similar inspections in all districts, signalling that Coimbatore was only a beginning.
On Wednesday Purohit, along with Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani, visited a solid waste management plant installed in a residential society in the industrial city. Later he held discussions with NGOS and residents’ welfare associations working on solid waste management. He lauded the efforts of the city in the Swachch Bharath Mission AND Congratulated THE oficials of the Coimbatore Corporation and the district administration for their initiatives.
Earlier in the day, he inspected the Gandhipuram bus station and took part in a cleaning drive there as part of the Swachch Bharath intitiative.
He swept the bus bays and removed the waste from there, besides inspecting e-toilets in the bus stand. “I have been carrying out inspections from yesterday,” Purohit said. “A few are trying to create controversies from my visit. Only when I visit the places I will know about the work that is being carried out and give feedback to the government. Till now I thought that Maharashtra was better in cleanliness, but now I have changed my mind as Tamil Nadu is far better.” Opposition leaders charged that Purohit’s actions were an assault on the State’s autonomy.
Leader of the Opposition and working president of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MK Stalin said the governor’s inspection of administration raises suspicion whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to create a proxy government in Tamil Nadu. “If Governor is really interested in good administration in the state, he should order A loor test,” Stalin ADDED, RECALLING that the Edappadi K. Palaniswami has not faced the State Assembly since the defection of 19 MLAS to a dissident camp led by TTV Dinakaran, who was ousted as ADMK general secretary.
“His visits will no way help the State-central relationship. Tamil Nadu Governor does not even have the limited powers which the Puducherry Governor has,” Stalin said.
Dmkalliescongress,communistparty of India (Marxist), CPI and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) criticised the governor’s action.
Dinakaran termed it as “BJP’S style of intruding into the state’s governance.” On the other hand, state ministers said that Purohit’s visits will not affect the State’s autonomy. Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said that there is no politics involved in the Governor’s visit. Velumani said Purohit has promised to get all the Central schemes to the State. He said that there is nothing wrong in he inspections carried out by the Governor. Higher Education Minister KP Anbalagan contended that the Governor’s action would not amount to interference in administration.
BJP state head Tamilisai Soundararajan said that there is nothing wrong in the Governor’s visit and he is acting well within his powers.
“Even the Ministers have welcomed he move of the Governor,” she added.
Even as a leadership tussle raged in the ADMK, the BJP at the Centre has been accused of manoeuvring political affairs in the state, after the demise of chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.