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Tamil Nadu Governor Fathima Beevi resigns

Tamil Nadu Governor M Fathima Beevi resigned on Sunday shortly after the Union Cabinet, in a rare action, decided to dismiss her for having "failed" to discharge her constitutional obligations in the wake of the arrest of former chief minister M Karunanidhi and two Union ministers in Madras.

Fathima Beevi, a former Supreme Court judge and a former member of the National Human Rights Commission, sent her resignation to President K R Narayanan soon after the emergency meeting of the Cabinet decided to recommend that the President recall her.

Andhra Pradesh Governor C Rangarajan is being asked to take additional charge of Tamil Nadu and will be sworn in shortly.

The decision to dismiss the governor was taken after she sent a report defending the police action against Union ministers Murasoli Maran and T R Baalu.

But the Centre's decision to sack the governor came under attack from opposition parties, which said that she was being made the scapegoat and that the government wanted a "pliable" representative in Madras.

The Union Cabinet is meeting again on Monday to consider the Tamil Nadu situation when the report of the home ministry's four-member team headed by Special Secretary M B Kaushal reaches it.

A three-member team of the National Democratic Alliance headed by convener George Fernandes, which visited Madras on Sunday to assess the situation, found "gross violation" of the Constitution and will be recommending "stronger action" over and above the removal of the governor.

PTI

EARLIER REPORTS:
Cabinet to recommend governor's recall
Bakht is leading contender to replace Fathima Beevi

Karunanidhi's Arrest: The Complete Coverage

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