Hyderabad, December 27: Telugu Desam Party President N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Saturday demanded a thorough probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Narayan Datt Tiwari, who resigned on Saturday evening from the post of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, to protect the sanctity of the office of Governor.
Mr. Tiwari stepped down citing “health grounds”, a day after a Telugu television channel accused him of involvement in a sex scandal. A one line press communique was issued by the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad without going into details of the resignation submitted by the 86-year-old leader to President Pratibha Patil.
Reports said his resignation has been accepted by the President and the Jharkhand Governor Shankar Narayan given full additional charge as Governor of Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu wants impartial inquiry
Mr. Naidu said the democratic traditions warranted an impartial inquiry to establish the veracity of the allegations against them and place the facts before the public.
Describing the allegations against Mr. Tiwari as “unprecedented”, the TDP president said in a press release on Saturday that the reports in the press alleging “unethical and immoral activities” by the constitutional functionary, his associates and some MPs had brought down the prestige of the gubernatorial office.
Almost all the Opposition parties and numerous women’s organisations had demanded Mr. Tiwari’s resignation after ABN channel telecast on Friday explicit visuals of the Governor in a compromising position with women in the Raj Bhavan. Although the High Court restrained the channel from telecasting the pictures, it had aired them before the court’s orders could be served.
PTI adds:
The resignation came a day after Telugu television channel aired a news story showing visuals of an elderly person, who was alleged to be Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari, in a compromising position with three women in the Raj Bhavan.
The Raj Bhavan denied it and promptly approached the High Court on Friday and got a restraint order on the channel from telecasting the footage.
The sting operation evoked a string of demands from political parties, like TDP, CPM, CPI and BJP, that he be sacked. Women’s organisations also staged demonstrations deploringthe Governor’s behaviour and demanded that he step down immediately.
Congress welcomes resignation
The Congress welcomed the resignation saying Mr. Tiwari has taken the appropriate decision. Party sources said the Governor of some neighbouring State could be given additional charge of Andhra Pradesh for some time.
Indications that Mr. Tiwari cannot continue in the post emerged when the Centre sought a report from the State Chief Secretary on the issue on Saturday and highly-placed Congress sources said that he would have to go in view of the acute embarrassment he had brought to the organisation.
“I think he has taken an appropriate decision keeping in view the high standards of public life. We welcome it,” AICC media department chief Janardan Dwivedi told reporters in Delhi.
Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed had earlier said that the High Court is looking into the matter. “Since the matter is sub judice, no one should comment upon it.”
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