amil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi on Wednesday said the Supreme Court's order staying the bandh called by his party and allies on October 1 was adhered to though it came at the "eleventh hour."
"Based on the Supreme Court's order, the state secretariat functioned on that day and the chief minister and ministers attended to their work. Government offices functioned throughout the state and some schools and colleges also functioned," he wrote in his party organ Murasoli.
All trains were operated and there was also no disruption in air traffic. As time progressed, the situation improved and there was considerable movement of buses too, he said.
Since the Madras high court permitted the bandh with certain conditions, the constituents of Democratic Progressive Alliance were involved in preparatory work for the protest and they would not have got to know that the Supreme Court hurriedly took up the case on a Sunday on September 30 and gave an adverse ruling, he said.
The Supreme Court had on Monday pulled up the Tamil Nadu government for failing to comply with its order on the DMK bandh call.
The apex court warned the Tamil Nadu government of initiating contempt of court proceedings and said, if necessary, it will not hesitate to summon the chief secretary and the chief minister.
"Is this the government? Is this the Tamil Nadu government? Is it the DMK government, a strong ally of the United Progressive Alliance government? If this is the attitude of the DMK government, the UPA government should not feel shy of dismissing it and impose President's Rule," the court observed.
Though the Supreme Court had stayed the Tamil Nadu bandh called for Monday by the ruling DMK and its allies over the Ram Sethu project, buses in most parts of the state were off the roads and shops in main thoroughfares remained closed.
Reports said it was a 'virtual bandh' in the state, with the Southern Railways operating only skeletal services. However, autos and taxis were seen plying in Chennai.
As the bandh was being observed in Tamil Nadu on Monday despite the Supreme Court's order banning the government from doing so, the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam made a special mention before the Madras high court with regard to violation of the apex court order.
AIADMK legal advisor N Jothi, MP, made the mention before a bench, comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice P Jyothimani, and said the government did not operate public transport.
Image: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Karunanidhi.
Photograph: Raveendran/AFP/Getty Images
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