PUDUCHERRY: Appreciating the Tamil Nadu government’s action of shooting down suspected bank robbers in an encounter, Rajya Sabha member and senior Congress leader P Kannan, on Thursday, indicated to chief minister N Rangasamy as to how a good government should function. Addressing a huge demonstration at the head post office, after taking out a rally from Venkatasubba Reddiar Statue with around 10,000 people, he flayed the Rangasamy government by pointing out the ‘efficient and effective’ administration of AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.He said that immediate and stern action, using all provisions of law and weapons, was required against criminals and cited the example of Tamil Nadu police in taking quick and stern action on bank robbers within 48 hours of the crime. Rangasamy through his reluctance to use Goondas Act against criminals was emboldening the anti-social elements, said Kannan. “The Goondas Act should be used to drive fear among criminals, but by refraining he was making fear grip common people. “Is the government for the goondas or for the people?” he asked. He challenged the government by saying that the implementation of Goondas Act would bring down the crime rate. Alluding to some doubts on the misuse of the Act, he said that as an opposition party member he was not afraid of it being used against political opponents and had full faith in the police. Flaying the government for the delay in distribution of cyclone relief to all affected including fishermen, farmers and hut dwellers even after 55 days of the deluge, he referred to the Tamil Nadu government’s quick action in reaching out to cyclone affected despite being a large state. Even schemes have been devised for the cyclone affected and were currently in implementation stage in Tamil Nadu, he said. He criticised the Rangasamy government’s delay due to non-completion of enumeration and assessment and asked the government how long would it take to complete. “Do the people have to wait till the next cyclone,” he asked and demanded that the work be taken up on a war footing to provide immediate distribution of relief.Kannan also blamed the government for enhancement of Value Added Tax, enhancement of milk price at a time when people were already affected by cyclone and demanded a roll back. He blamed the government for retrenching employees, non-payment of salaries in some quasi-government organisations, pension for three months and closure of textile mills. Already such workers were committing suicide due to inadequate earnings and it was the government’s responsibility to prevent it.He said that the rally and demonstration was a beginning and would become a greater movement unless the situation was rectified.MLA K Lakshminarayanan, Mudaliarpet party functionary Vetriselvam and other Congress functionaries participated. However, heavy weights in Congress party including PCC chief A V Subramanian and Leader of Opposition V Vaithilingam were absent.
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