Lt. Governor responds to criticism on her lone representation at the Council meet

People should feel happy that I made a strong case for the Union Territory at the meeting, says L-G

Responding to criticism over her participation at the recent Southern Zonal Council meeting in Kerala as sole representative of the Union Territory, Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has said that people should feel happy that she was able to use the opportunity to raise issues pertinent to the Union Territory.

“Instead of raising questions on my representing the Union Territory at the council meeting, people should feel happy about my participation. I have raised several issues concerning the Union Territory at the conference, “ she said while interacting with reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Ms. Soundararajan was responding to a charge made by AIADMK secretary, East, A. Anbalagan, that the Lt Governor should have given an opportunity to the Chief Minister to attend the council meeting held at Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. 

Though the Lt. Governor and Chief Minister of the Union Territory are invitees for all Southern Zonal Council meets, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy had abstained from the conference. AIADMK, which is an ally of Chief Minister’s ruling All India N R Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, had questioned the decision of Lt. Governor to represent the Union Territory alone at the meet. 

According to Ms. Soundararajan, the council meeting was very fruitful as she could project the requirements of the Union Territory in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Lt. Governor said she could put forth the urgent necessity of getting land from Tamil Nadu to expand Puducherry Airport runway. The expansion of airport runway would help the neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu while being a big boon to the tourism industry here, the Lt. Governor said. “So instead of raising questions about my participation, people should feel happy that I made a strong case for the Union Territory at the meeting,” the Lt. Governor said.