Amidst simmering tension between the Puducherry government and lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi, the LG claimed on Sunday that ministers and officials were not supporting the cleanliness initiatives kick-started by her, and threatened to quit if Swacch Puducherry was not implemented. 

At a road safety event on Sunday, she said, “Unless the ministers and secretaries are present during the weekend inspection tours, I will not go and work. The work will come to a standstill,” she said, according to The New Indian Express.

She said that this job must be carried out by the senior officials and ministers. She alleged other than few officials, the senior officials refused to accompany her for the inspection. She added, “Cleaning the street is not the job of the Lieutenant Governor.”

Bedi also criticized the people of Puducherry for lack of cleanliness.

Bedi said that she will be waiting till October to see if the administration and people will support her or else, she will quit.

The local leaders were annoyed by Bedi’s comments. A minister told The New Indian Express that she cannot ask ministers to accompany for inspections and only at a time she finds convenient. The minister said that she is only focussing on the cleanliness issue, and that if she wants to quit, she can quit.