The Hindu : `No bias in negative replies'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

`No bias in negative replies'

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai April 7. The AIADMK Government will not discriminate against Opposition MLAs or favour ruling party members. The Chief Minister treats all 234 constituencies equally, the Transport Minister, R.Viswanathan, asserted in the Assembly today.

His observation came in response to a sarcastic remark by K. Jayakumar (Congress), who, during question hour in the Assembly, said the Minister would have agreed to his plea for a super deluxe bus service between Chennai and Namakkal had it been made by a ruling party MLA.

Stung by the criticism, the Minister vehemently rejected the suggestion, saying, he had given "negative replies" to several demands raised by the ruling party MLAs. However, he would consider operating the bus service at least to win the appreciation of the Congress MLA. But the occupancy was only 71 per cent in buses now plying between Chennai and Namakkal. The Minister, replying to another question, confirmed that the Government was allowing minor changes in routes and obtaining timings of the buses operated by State Transport Corporations only after clearance from the Transport Secretary. In the past, the transport corporations could effect the route and timing changes. But the Government decided to regulate the exercise as part of administrative reforms.

Community certificates

The Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister, C.Karuppusamy, told the Assembly that the Government was awaiting a report from a one-man committee to consider bringing 27 communities, including sub-sects of Narikoravars, Kurumbars and Lambadis, under Schedulded Tribes.

As several members complained about the issue of fake community certificates and delay in the certificates, he said the Government had instructed district collectors to issue the papers within a fortnight. Also, it was probing distribution of fake certificates.

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