Puducherry’s status as Union Territory to continue for now: Union Ministry of Home Affairs

Home Ministry’s response follows the resolutions passed by the Legislative Assembly seeking Statehood for Puducherry

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy speaking about the resolution adopted on Statehood in Puducherry Assembly. File | Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

Union Ministry of Home Affairs has reiterated its stand on maintaining the status of Puducherry as a Union Territory.

In response to the resolutions passed by the Legislative Assembly seeking Statehood for Puducherry, the MHA has maintained that the region would remain as Union Territory for now.

Last month, the Under Secretary to Government of India, Prabhat Nigam, in a letter to Puducherry Chief Secretary, said “it has been decided with the approval of competent authority that the present arrangement may continue for now”.

The letter said the Ministry examined the Assembly resolutions passed on January 18, 2021 and March 31, 2023 regarding demand for grant of Statehood. The MHA had been directed to inform the Puducherry government that the status would continue, the letter said.

So far, 13 resolutions have been passed by the Assembly demanding Statehood for the Union Territory.

‘Will meet PM, HM’

Responding to the stand taken by Centre, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy has expressed his government’s resolve to press for Statehood again.

In an informal chat with reporters on Sunday, Mr. Rangasamy said, “We will take up a delegation of legislators to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and Home Minister to press for Statehood. The government will continue to take up the issue with the Union government.”

Reiterating his government’s stand on Statehood, the Chief Minister said he was not seeking Statehood for any personal benefit but for the development of the Union Territory.

At the same time, the Chief Minister said his government was not facing any problem in the implementation of schemes with Puducherry’s present status. “It is only that if we have Statehood, some schemes could be implemented in a fast manner and we could take own decisions,” he said.

Independent legislator leads delegation

Independent legislator G. Nehru alias Kuppusamy, who has pledged support to AINRC in NDA alliance, on Monday led a delegation of Tamil outfits and social organisations for a meeting with Chief Minister to discuss the Statehood issue.

Mr. Nehru told reporters that the delegation urged the Chief Minister to continue to press for Statehood.

“After passing the resolution, the government did not put pressure on the Centre. The Chief Minister had promised to take legislators for a meeting with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister after passing the resolution. It was not done. The Centre did not concede the demand as we did not put pressure,” he said.

AIADMK seeks resignation

The Muthialpet unit of the AIADMK has sought the resignation of Mr. Rangasamy in the wake of the stand adopted by the Union government.

Deputy Secretary Vayyapuri Manikandan in a statement said the AIADMK’s Muthialpet unit had passed a resolution seeking the resignation of the Chief Minister. The party also asked Mr. Rangasamy to pull out his All India N. R. Congress from the National Democratic Alliance front.