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TN mulls over barring ex-civil servants from caste-based organisations

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said there was a unanimous view among the leaders, who spoke at yesterday's inconclusive all-party meeting, that retired IAS and IPS officers should be prevented from taking over as the heads of caste-based organisations or associated with such organisations in other capacities.

The meeting was convened by the state government at Madras to discuss steps to prevent caste clashes in southern districts.

Talking to newsmen, Karunanidhi said a final decision was expected to be taken at the next all-party party meet on October 26.

Asked whether intelligence agencies had failed to forewarn the government about the recent caste clashes which claimed 11 lives, he said the functioning of the intelligence agencies was something which could not be discussed in public.

To a question on the representation for relief from the textile industry, which was facing the worst-ever demand recession, Karunanidhi said he had already written to the Centre in this regard and would take up the matter with the prime minister during his visit to New Delhi on October 28.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief Tindivanam K Ramamurthy today demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the recent riots in Ramanathapuram with its entire ramification as the trouble in the coastal district had an important bearing on national security.

Addressing a press conference in Madras, he said the chief minister should give up his inhibitions against a CBI inquiry.

Alleging that the police and the administration had failed to prevent the violence at Ramanathapuram, Ramamurthy said the coastal district had the potential to smuggle in arms and personnel from foreign countries and the infiltration of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam could not be ruled out.

He further alleged that the destruction of shops of a particular community was organised by people from Rameswaram and local traders suspected the involvement of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the riots.

The funding of certain organisations should also be gone into, he added.

The police had not taken any precautionary measures for the Thevar Peravai meeting at Ramanathapuram early this month despite sufficient warnings of impending clashes, he charged.

Ramamurthy alleged that Karunanidhi had lost his grip over the administration. He should call for an explanation from the state chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police for their failure to brief him in advance about the possible violence and precautionary measures.

He demanded that the district collector and the superintendent of police of Ramanathapuram be immediately transferred for failing to control the violence.

He said Congress leaders would tour affected areas and render relief to the victims of the clashes.

Answering a question, Ramamurthy said he would not rule out a link between the communal clashes in Coimbatore late last year and the Ramanathapuram clashes early this month.

Referring to the dispute over party properties, he said the Congress would take every step to retrieve its properties now in the possession of others. Party president Sonia Gandhi was fully backing him in this regard, he added.

Sathyamoorthy Bhavan, now headquarters of Tamil Maanila Congress, and the properties of the TNCC trust, are among the disputed properties worth over Rs 1 billion.

UNI

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