Bedi's comments on Singapore visit out of "ignorance": Pondy

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Tuesday slammed Lt Governor Kiran Bedi for making remarks over his Singapore trip "out of ignorance" and said he had obtained the Centre's approval for it.

Talking to media here, a day after his return to the Union Territory, the Chief Minister said Bedi made the criticism only "out of ignorance" and "without ascertaining" the fact that he had obtained prior approval from the Centre before flying to Singapore on November 6.

Industries Minister M O H F Shah Jahan and the chairman of Puducherry government owned Industries Development Corporation R Siva MLA accompanied him during his visit.

 

Narayanasamy pointed out that he and his ministerial colleague and Siva had obtained prior approval from the Centre.

"I was a Central Minister and I am fully aware of the statutory provisions on the need to get prior approval from the Central government before flying abroad," he said and clarified that it was purely a "private visit" and the entire expenditure was borne by us.

The Chief Minister further said the purpose of his visit was to attract investments by entrepreneurs to develop an international airport in Karasur, to set up a glass manufacturing unit in Karaikal with an outlay of Rs 1500 crores, promote tourism projects among others.

"We know well that Puducherry should make rapid strides in infrastructures and other facilities including education and industries," he said.

Dubbing as "unfortunate" the criticism levelled by the Lt Governor that the Chief Minister did not have prior approval from the Centre before flying to Singapore, he said, "we are representatives of the people and we have full responsibility to develop Puducherry."

He said he was "really pained" to hear the "ignorant" comments and criticisms the Lt Governor had made.

"... I leave it to the people to see who are interested in development of Puducherry," he said.

Narayanasamy noted that thousands of youth would get jobs once the infrastructure and tourism development projects were promoted in collaboration with the investors from Singapore under Public Private Partnership mode.

Amid the visit of the Chief Minister to Singapore, Bedi had on Friday said she has no information about it and raised doubts whether he had obtained the necessary approval from the authority concerned.