The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : CET issue: Jayalalithaa `shirking responsibility'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 10, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

CET issue: Jayalalithaa `shirking responsibility'

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister has only taken half-hearted measures, says Ramadoss

CHENNAI: : Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss on Saturday accused Chief Minister Jayalalithaa of "shirking responsibility" by claiming that the High Court had raised doubts about the validity of a law or an ordinance brought in to do away with the Common Entrance Test.

In a statement here, Dr. Ramadoss said the Government, which had gone on appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court's directive to reinstate road workers, now claimed that it had little choice but to follow the High Court's orders on the CET issue.

It was now clear that the order issued by the Government to do away with the CET was an "eyewash" and "election gimmick."

Referring to the Chief Minister's remark that the High Court had pointed to the legal impediments against the implementation of its order, he asked if the Government was not aware of these obstacles while issuing the order and whether the issue was not discussed at the Ministerial and official levels.

Recalling the PMK's plea for introducing an Act to do away with the CET as it was a policy decision, Dr. Ramadoss said the party stood by the demand.

All the Acts passed by the Assemblies and Parliament had to stand judicial scrutiny, and a Government's competence lay only in bringing forward laws, which stood such tests.

He charged the Chief Minister with attempting to "exonerate herself by blaming the Opposition parties and the High Court's order" for the non-implementation of the Government's Order, though she took "half-hearted measures" even while projecting herself as being sympathetic to rural and poor students.

He also criticised Ms. Jayalalithaa for "not making any effort" to utilise the services of the Union Ministers from the State.

Dr. Ramadoss dared her to resign and give way for the Opposition parties to remove the impediments in doing away with the CET.

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