The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Karunanidhi orders inquiry into Rettanai police action

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Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi orders inquiry into Rettanai police action

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister announces compensation for injured boy

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has announced Rs.50,000 relief for the boy who was injured in police action against people at Rettanai in Tindivanam taluk on August 16.

A press release from Villupuram District Collector said the Chief Minister had ordered an inquiry into the incident by the Revenue Divisional Officer.

Police resorted to lathi-charge when the people staged a road roko demanding Rs.80 for all those working under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

CPI (M) criticism

The State unit of the CPI (M) condemned the police action saying that the unilateral decision of the officials to fix Rs.40 per head had led to a confrontation.

CPI(M) state secretary N. Varadarajan said though Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin and Principal Secretary Ashok Varadhan Shetty had promised to fix Rs.80 a person at a meeting on August 8, officials in Tindivanan had violated it.

“Mr. Stalin has insinuated that the CPI (M) is responsible for the problem. It is condemnable,” he added. Let the government order an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Madras High Court.

Fact-finding team

A fact-finding team led by T.K. Rengarajan, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Central Committee member, visited Rettani on Monday.

After interacting with the aggrieved people in the village Mr. Rengarajan told The Hindu that revenue officials and police personnel were responsible for the brutal attack unleashed on the innocent people.

It was unfortunate that the provocation had come from the officials. Because of the underpayment made under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the people of the remote and sleepy village were forced to come to the streets.

Officials blamed

The residents told the delegation that the officials were never keen on paying the full wages of Rs.80 a day and even before the commencement of the tank work, they fixed the daily wages at Rs.40. Citing the measurements as the criteria for the payment was only an alibi.

Mr. Rengarajan said the delegation would meet Mr. Karunanidhi and seek a judicial inquiry into the incident, appropriate action against officials and police personnel responsible for the attack, fair compensation for the injured and withdrawal of cases against the residents.

K. Balakrishnan, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam said the RDO enquiry was not acceptable and his forum would launch a State-wide agitation on August 25 and 26.

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