No protocol is being followed for Governor in Telangana, charges Tamilisai Soundararajan

Madurai/Hyderabad: Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao alleging that no protocol was being followed in the State as the CM didn't meet her in two years.

Speaking to the media at Madurai airport, the Governor said, "In Telangana, no protocol is followed. The chief minister has not met me for quite a long time. The constitution says that periodic discussions with the administrators — the Chief Minister with the Governor — is necessary but this doesn't happen in Telangana at all. For two years, I have not met him. Everyone is putting questions on the Governors but no one is questioning the Chief Ministers."

"There should be a good relationship between the two but that is totally lacking in Telangana," she alleged.

Alleging that State Ministers stayed away from her official visits, Soundararajan added, "I have acted on all the Bills. I had invited the Chief Minister on several occasions but he did not come — be it festivals or during the Republic Day celebrations. On official visits, too, no local leader comes, no MLA or MP comes, and the Chief Minister doesn't come. A Governor should be treated like a Governor, there is a standard operating procedure."

Reacting to Tamil Nadu Assembly's decision to pass a Bill allowing 12-hour work in factories, the Governor said, "My opinion is not a political one but research has found that if we increase the working hours optionally, the resting hours can be increased, thereby enhancing the working potential."

"I don't want to comment on the resolution passed by another State," she added.

It is to mention here that the 'political rift' between Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Telangana government continued after she returned two bills to the State government for clarifications and rejected one bill pending with her for months.

The Governor took the decision on the same day when petition was filed by the Telangana government in the Supreme Court, seeking a direction to her to clear the pending bills, came up for hearing.

Tamilisai rejected the Telangana Public Employment (Regulation of Age of Superannuation) (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which relates to the raising of the age of superannuation of the Director Of Medical Education (DME) Additional Directors, Professors, Assistant Professors as well as those who are in administration in the DME from 61 years to 65 years.

The Governor sought clarifications on the bill relating to the extension of time needed for the initiation of no confidence motion in civic bodies to four years from three years, and the other one concerning the establishment and regulation of Private Universities in the state.

Earlier, the Governor cleared Telangana Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Telangana Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

Further, the Governor reserved two bills for consideration and assent of the President of India. They are: The University of Forestry Telangana Bill, 2022 and The Telangana Universities Common Recruitment Board Bill, 2022.