My phone being tapped

NAVEENA GHANATE
Hyderabad

Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan, amid the Raj Bhavan’s known rift with the Telangana government, on Wednesday expressed her suspicion that her phone is being tapped and alleged that there is “an undemocratic situation in the state”.

During an interaction with invited media personnel at the Raj Bhavan, she said: “In a tape issue (TRS MLAs poaching), they dragged Raj Bhavan and mentioned Tushar. Tushar was my ADC.They are putting in an official Twitter handle that Raj Bhavan is involved. I doubt that my phone is tapped. My privacy is being interfered with.

Tushar called me to wish me Diwali two days before the tweet. He was in Hyderabad. Why is that name dragged out? Initially they never mentioned Tushar’s name, after that only they mentioned. I doubt my phones are tapped. This undemocratic situation is there in the state, particularly with respect to Governor”.

The Governor said ‘TRS in News’ Twitter handle posted about Raj Bhavan’s  ‘involvement’ and it was retweeted by Krishank Manne, TRS social media convenor. She said, “Mine is a transparent office and I am not involved in any such activities.Why did they drag my name? This Tushar was my ADC and he was calling me to wish on Diwali. Why was his name dragged out? They know who all are calling me. I want clarification.”

She said: “I am transparent, my office is transparent. I am not involved in any activities where I am afraid of my phone being tapped. I am not afraid, let them tap my phone. I can give my phone what all you want to see from my phone, please see”.

On allegations of keeping bills pending, the Governor said: They have sent six bills that are pending. One by one I am doing. Tamilisai said, “I give appointment to common public, why not to a minister? I am only taking one month. The recruitment bill just says we are forming board. Nothing on what procedure. You will write one single word and expect me to endorse it. I have right to assess. I want justification. The correct process should be followed in recruitment, not just party-oriented recruitment of just filling the posts. I want a clear-cut procedure for that and as Chancellor I have every right.

I called other states; they are acting under service commission. I have doubts”.The Governor said she was not an egoistic person and hence, called the Minister to seek explanation on the issues she had raised in the interests of the people of Telangana.

When asked about Chalo Rajbhavan call over the pending Universities Bill, Tamilisai said: “I appeal to students: If you want come to Raj Bhavan, doors are open; it is not like Pragathi Bhavan. I have democratised the Raj Bhavan.This is an open forum and anybody can come with a plea. Why this gimmicks and confusions are created…. Why didn’t students committee agitate for 8 years? They want to agitate for 1 month delay; why not for 8 years’ delay. If at all it is students’ forum, why did you not agitate in front of Pragathi Bhavan for the delay?”  

Stating that she had not halted the recruitment process in Universities, she  observed:”Why is the board being set up? Is the proposal acceptable to the UGC? Whether the recruitment will be university-centric or whether it will be centralised? If that is the case, there will be big confusion.”

On meeting Amit Shah, Tamilisai said that it was a routine meeting with the Union Home Minister. “I submitted my third year copy. That was the intention of the meeting. It is a routing report- problems we faced and activities we take up. It is something we send regularly”, she said.

On private universities, Tamilisai said: “You have to see the fate of government universities. I have visited the government universities; they are in a mess. I visited Telangana University: there are no beds, no tables, no tubelights, and there is no cleanliness in mess. If you want to improve private universities, what about govt ones in which there are so much food poisoning? I cannot tolerate such bad conditions. Why do you want to increase private universities, you want to commercialise. SC said is education for sale. Can’t you give a new ambience for students to study in hostel? My request is look after the government universities”.

On whether Chancellorship should be taken away from Governor, Tamilisai said: “This is the subject of debate on Chancellor; for years Governors have been Chancellors and particularly in Telangana, I communicated with universities and tried to avoid  political interference. (There is) politicising of universities by the state govt, which wanted to interfere. Education Minister and Secretary are there. It is apt that Governor should be the Chancellor”. On releasing prisoners, Tamilisai said: “Life sentence persons cannot be released immediately”.