In continuing verbal duel with Chief Minister V Narayanasamy over helmet rule, Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has rejected as incomparable her incognito pillion ride and his participation in a two-wheeler rally for bypoll campaign without the headgear and asked him to own up the 'mistake' and face the law.
In a counter to Narayanasamy after he asked her to practice before preaching, Bedi said her travel at night on a two-wheeler (ridden by a woman staff of her office) on August 19, 2017 incognito to check women's safety was different from the Chief Minister riding a two-wheeler as part of the rally on Saturday.
"The two are not comparable Mr. Chief Minister. Mine was a ride to check if women are safe at night in Puducherry on the roads. But yours is for votes and hence face the law," she said in a message late on Sunday night.
"Please face the law as a citizen would," she said pointing out the Chief Minister held the Home portfolio.
Bedi and Narayanasamy, who have been at loggerheads over various issues, got into a verbal duel on Sunday over the helmet rule with both accusing each other of violating it.
A former IPS officer, Bedi charged Narayanasamy and other ruling Congress functionaries with violating the Motor Vehicles Act by riding two-wheelers without wearing mandatory helmets during the rally on the last day of campaign in Kamaraj Nagar assembly by-election, being held Monday.
"This is a brazen violation of Motor Vehicles Act and also directions of Madras High Court and the Supreme Court on wearing helmets by two-wheeler riders. Rule of Law should prevail," she had said.
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Accusing Narayanasamy of "coming in the way of enforcement of helmet rules," she had contended the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues should be fined for riding two-wheelers without helmets in the rally.
In a tweet, she had also posted copy of a picture of the rally published in a newspaper showing Narayanasamy and others riding two-wheelers and campaigning.
Narayanasamy had hit back at her by pointing to her incognito pillion ride two years ago.
In a tweet, he posted a photograph of Bedi riding pillion on a scooter incognito "without wearing helmet" on the night of August 19, 2017 and asked her to "practise before you preach".
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