The Hindu : Front Page : State buses off road, shops remain shut most part of day

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 02, 2007
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Front Page

State buses off road, shops remain shut most part of day

Special Correspondent

Agitation not against Supreme Court, say DPA leaders

Karunanidhi inaugurated the fast
Many firms had announced a holiday on Friday

— Photo: S.S. Kumar

LEFT IN THE LURCH: Commuters wait in vain for bus at the Vadapalani terminus in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: Leaders and workers of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Democratic Progressive Alliance observed a day-long fast across the State pressing for the speedy implementation of the Sethusamudram project, even as buses remained off the road in many parts of the State.

Most shops and business establishments remained closed though Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had announced on Sunday that the bandh, scheduled for October 1, stood withdrawn in keeping with Supreme Court orders. Many firms had earlier announced a holiday for the day on Friday itself.

In important cities of the State, private vehicles, autorickshaws, taxis, trains, including suburban services, and flights operated without serious disruption.

At noon, following an appeal by LPF president and MP, C. Kuppusamy, workers trickled in to transport corporation depots. State-owned buses began plying later but a large part of the fleet remained in the depots.

Mr. Karunanidhi inaugurated the fast in the morning. Later, he left for the Secretariat.

DPA leaders who spoke, including Communist Party of India national secretary D. Raja and its State secretary D. Pandian, Congress leaders M. Krishnasswamy, G.K.Vasan and E.V.K.S.Elangovan, CPI (M) state secretary N. Varadarajan, Pattali Makkal Katchi president G.K. Mani and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi general secretary Thol Tirumavalavan, insisted that the agitation was not against the Supreme Court but was an attempt to give vent to the feelings of the Tamil people, who, they said, were waiting to reap the benefits of the project. Union Minister for Shipping and Road Transport, T.R. Baalu, however, asked why the court had to resort to the unprecedented step of sitting on a Sunday.

Recalling the judgment in the Narmada dam case, where the court was in favour of development, he said that this case was in the same category.

Winding up the fast, Electricity Minister Arcot N.Veerasami said the project would become a reality and that no one could stall it. There might be some hiccups in the speedy completion of the project. But the man-made hurdles would be crossed. Reacting to the Supreme Court’s suggestion for enforcing President’ rule in the State, Mr. Veerasami said that it was not possible as long as President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were in office.

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