The Hindu : `End unconstitutional acts of Tamil Nadu Govt.'

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

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

`End unconstitutional acts of Tamil Nadu Govt.'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI July 7. The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, today wrote to the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, on the situation arising out of the strike by government employees and their subsequent dismissal, and said he feared that it might lead to the failure of the constitutional machinery in Tamil Nadu.

The government employees and teachers had been on strike since July 1. The Government, after warning the employees, issued summary dismissal orders under the Tamil Nadu Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance, 2003.

Hence, he requested the Prime Minister to ``instruct the Attorney-General of India to appear before the Supreme Court suo motu and seek directions from it to immediately put an end to the unconstitutional acts of the Tamil Nadu Government, without any further damage to the Constitution, and to restore the constitutional rights of the striking employees.''

The letter, a copy of which was released to the media, claimed that ``about two lakh employees were summarily dismissed without being given an opportunity to explain their case, and consequently lakhs and lakhs of families are suffering both mentally and financially.''

According to Mr. Karunanidhi, the Government failed to explore a negotiated settlement and ``put the entire government machinery into utter chaos and confusion.'' Also, it took up ``arbitrary recruitment, without following the procedures laid down.'' Ruling party men, ``irrespective of the registration seniority were being selected for appointment.''

Further, the Government issued an ordinance, which empowered it to summarily dismiss employees ``in violation of Article 311.''

The letter was handed over to the Prime Minister by the senior DMK Minister in the Union Government, T.R. Baalu, says a party release.

The Prime Minister is reported to have said: ``I am very much concerned with this grave matter. I will do the needful that is appropriate.''

DPI plea

The Dalit Panthers convener, T. Tirumavalavan, also urged the Centre to intervene and restore normal functioning of the "paralysed" administrative machinery in the State.

Criticising the ordinance recently-promulgated for en masse dismissal of employees, he warned that his party would plunge into a struggle if the State Government did not stop its ``repressive measures'' against the government servants.

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