The Raj Bhavan's clarification came in the wake of Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy accusing the Governor for skipping the function.
Published May 02, 2023 | 3:07 PM ⚊ Updated May 02, 2023 | 4:52 PM
Tamilisai Soundararajan. (airnews_Chennai/Twitter)
The tense relations between Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao seemed to have reached yet another a flashpoint.
The Raj Bhavan, in a communique on Tuesday, 2 May, “vehemently” denied receiving an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the newly constructed BR Ambedkar Secretariat on Sunday.
The Raj Bhavan’s clarification came in the wake of Telangana Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy alleging that the Governor skipped the function because she was jealous of the state as it was witnessing rapid development on all fronts.
He also described her as one who obstructs development and said that her absence did not make any difference.
It, in fact, only made the Governor’s true colours come out in the open, he said.
Taking serious exception to the allegation, the Raj Bhavan said that it vehemently denied the baseless and false accusation that the Governor did not attend the function though she had been extended an invitation.
The communique said: “Raj Bhavan further makes it clear that no invitation whatsoever has been sent to the Governor inviting her to the inauguration of the new Secretariat building and this has been the precise and sole reason for her non-attendance at the inauguration of the new Secretariat building.”
In fact, when the 125-ft tall BR Amebdkar’s statue was unveiled on the birth anniversary of the architect of the Indian constitution on 14 April, she was not invited to the function.
She later expressed displeasure and dissatisfaction over the government not inviting a woman Governor when it was celebrating the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, who fought for the empowerment of women.
She then told reporters on the sidelines of a function at ICMR that she felt very bad about being ignored, and referred to the service rendered by the architect of the Indian Constitution to the cause of women.
But, a day after the inauguration of the new Secretariat building, the energy minister seemed to have jumped the gun by saying that though she was extended an invitation, she chose to ignore the function.
When the Raj Bhavan categorically dismissed the claim as baseless saying that it had not received any invitation which seemed to have fuelled the embers further between the Governor and the chief minister
The Governor also does not pass up any opportunity to take potshots at the government whenever an opportunity presents itself.
She kept about 10 bills on the back burner passed by the Assembly till the case was up for hearing in the Supreme Court.
She fought back on behalf of the Centre when the state came down heavily on the BJP dispensation at the Center for not sanctioning any medical colleges for the state, saying that the state had not sent any proposal in the first place.
