Hyderabad: Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan courted controversy by participating in a debate on a national television news channel and criticising the Telangana Government on different issues.
Generally, Governors desist from participating on television debates. They usually make some observations or express their views on few select issues but the Telangana Governor for the first time in the recent past participated in a debate involving TRS MLC and Telangana State Education and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation Chairman Ravula Sridhar Reddy.
Though, the TRS MLC Ravula Sridhar Reddy was explaining the reasons from the State Government’s perspective, the Governor was demanding in a loud voice the reason for speech copy to be presented by the State Government during Republic Day celebration.
She had repeated her charge that Telangana Government was not following protocol and was not respecting the Governor’s office.
“We don’t want to disrespect any constitutional functionary. This is the only State where our Governor is taking media to criticize our Government,” said Ravula Sridhar Reddy.
The TRS MLC pointed out that the Governor was sitting on seven bills presented by the State Government. The Governor was neither approving the bills nor sending them back to the government, he said.
However, the Governor continued her tirade. She insisted on the speech copy to be presented to her by the State Government during Republic Day celebrations. The entire episode triggered an uproar from BRS party leaders and people alike.
BRS Chevella MP G Ranjith Reddy tweeted “Unprecedented!!! Can the Governor participate in a TV debate as if representing a political party?” Similar opinions were expressed by twitter users. “Her tone, in a TV debate, with the capacity of a Governor of a State” tweeted Mahi another twitter user.