Tiwari Rebuts Sex Scandal Charges

A day after the telecast of controversial video clippings, Andhra Pradesh Governor ND Tiwari has rebutted all such media reports accusing him of begin involved in sex scandal  and termed them ‘malicious’ even as women’s groups held demonstrations outside his official residence in Hyderabad demanding his resignation.

The opposition TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu has also asked the 86-year-old Tiwari to step down for ‘unbecoming conduct’.

A TV news channel quoted Ravi Shankar, Tiwari’s counsel, as saying that the charges were ‘a tissue of lies’ and they had slapped a legal notice on the media house which relayed video clips purportedly showing the governor in compromising position along with three young women in his bedroom.

Needless to add, ABN channel, owned by Telugu daily Andhra Jyothi, telecast the clippings in the morning and shocked viewers.

Acting on a public suit, Andhra Pradesh High Court issued a directive later in the day prohibiting the channel from telecasting the ‘demeaning’ clippings. By then, clippings had already been on air for an hour.

Hours after the telecast of the clippings, a group of 50 odd women descended on the Raj Bhawan demanding action against the governor.

Police quickly hustled away the protesting women. A dozen activists of the All India Democratic Women’s Organisation and Progressive Women’s Organisation were arrested.

A statement issued from Raj Bhavan Friday evening said that the governor was disturbed at the attempts to malign him.

The statement signed by Aryandra Sharma, officer on special duty to the governor, said: “All other media/news channels have been informed of the facts with a request not to take cognizance of fabricated, false and malicious news story attempting to tarnish the image of the Hon’ble Governor.”

“There is absolutely no truth in the alleged news story which is nothing but sensation mongering and in poor taste. It is nothing but a tissue of lies,” it added.

“The Governor Shri Narayan Datt Tiwariji is 86 years old and in the evening of his life. The office of the Governor is constantly under public scrutiny and entirely above board.”

“It is sad and unfortunate that constitutional functionaries are dragged into needless controversy with utter disregard to propriety as well as deference to be shown to the age which is part of our culture and tradition,” it said.