You can be dismissed, SC warns Tamil Nadu govt

Karunanidhi denies defying court; Centre says he will not be disturbed

NEW DELHI: On a day of dramatic developments, the Supreme Court on Monday warned the DMK Ministry in Tamil Nadu that it could be dismissed if its orders against holding a bandh were not followed, the UPA government at the Centre ruled out any action on its part, and the Karunanidhi government claimed it was following the court directives.

Acting Chief Justice BN Aggarwal and Justice P Sathasivam said: “If there is no compliance with our order, it is complete breakdown of constitutional machinery. We will then have to direct the [Union] government to impose President’s rule.” The court’s remarks came when the AIADMK petitioned it on Monday morning that Sunday’s order banning a bandh on the Sethusamudram issue was not being complied with by the DMK government and that State-run buses were not plying in Tamil Nadu.

“Is this a government? Is this the Tamil Nadu government? Is this the DMK government, a strong ally of UPA government? If this is the attitude of DMK government, the UPA government should not feel shy of dismissing it and imposing President rule,” observed the bench.

Reacting to the Supreme Court warning, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said there was no question of violating the Supreme Court’s order as it did not restrain the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance from observing a fast. After the apex court stayed the bandh, the DPA had no option but to observe a fast demanding speedy implementation of the Sethusamudram project, Karunanidhi said. He denied that there was a breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the State. “For you, there might be, but for us normal life was not affected,” he told reporters. Normal life remained unaffected in the State and buses were plying, he claimed.

 The fast began at 9 am and ended at 5 pm all over Tamil  Nadu. There were stray incidents of stone throwing and a clash between volunteers of the DMK and the AIADMK. Very few buses were plying, shops downed their shutters, cinema houses remaining closed, and attendance was thin in government offices.

After the SC’s observations, the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister PR Dasmunshi said: “We will do nothing to hurt the Tamil Nadu government. We are committed. They [the DMK] are part of our government. We will not disturb the State government remotely, directly or explicitly.”

Dasmunshi said Karunanidhi was “one of the stalwarts” not just of the DMK but of the

entire country. He said the Chief Minister was “not violating the court order. This is a non-violent response showing respect to Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals a day ahead of his birth anniversary.” Karunanidhi had set an example through his support and concern for the poorest of the poor, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, and the downtrodden.

In a special sitting on Sunday, the Supreme Court had told the DMK and its allies that they could not observe a bandh on Monday to press for speedy implementation of the Sethusamudram project, which envisages the construction of a shipping channel through the Palk Straits. The DMK’s arch rival, the AIADMK, and the BJP are leading the opposition to the project which they say will destroy the Ram Sethu.

This morning the AIADMK moved the Supreme Court again complaining that a “bandh” was being observed in Tamil Nadu despite the stay order.

Counsel for Tamil Nadu said that though the State government had complied with court’s order, some trade unions have proceeded with a bandh. “What is the government doing when some unions are trying to perpetuate the bandh,” the judges asked him. “The Unions are being allowed to strike and the government is not doing anything,” they said. The bench told counsel for the AIADMK that they could file a contempt petition listing violations of the court’s order banning bandhs.

 Earlier speaking at the venue of the hunger strike, Union Shipping Minister TR Baalu wondered whether the courts were giving the right decisions. “Why would there be appeals or higher benches if every judge was right,” he asked. CPI national secretary D Raja said that only Parliament should decide on people’s welfare and related issues.