Antony adamant on judicial probe

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 4. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. A.K. Antony, today announced the UDF's firm resolve to continue its agitation on the Plus Two issue till the Government ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court into the charges of irregularities, corruption and nepotism in the sanctioning of the courses.

At a press conference here today, Mr. Antony said that the Government was reluctant to order a judicial inquiry because it feared it would be exposed. "What prevents it from taking advantage of an ordeal by fire through a judicial probe to clear its record if it was confident that the charges were baseless," he asked. The CPI(M) eagerness to protect the Education Minister, Mr. P.J. Joseph, only proved that it had a share in the malpractice, he said.

He alleged that the Nayanar Government had adopted a policy of double standards in the Plus Two issue. The Left coalition had opposed the Pre-Degree board when it was announced as a policy in 1986 and even before it was implemented. The first action of the LDF Government, headed by Mr. E.K. Nayanar, which came to power in 1987, was to order a judicial inquiry. The main thrust of the inquiry was whether the decision (to introduce the Pre-Degree board) was taken in hasty manner and was untimely.

"It is important to note that the then Chief Minister, Mr. K. Karunakaran, and the Education Minister, Mr. T.M. Jacob, were not indicted for corruption. The Nayanar Government was now in the midst of implementing the Plus Two system. Shouldn't the same yardstick which was applied in the case of Mr. Karunakaran and Mr. Jacob be applied in the current charges against the Education Minister. There was no justification for the attempts to evade a judicial probe on an issue which had similarities with an earlier event," Mr. Antony said.

The UDF would continue its agitation to get its demand conceded. The second phase would begin from July 6, with a dharna before the Secretariat, followed by various other public campaigns, to culminate in a popular rally to the Assembly, when it resumes its session on July 17, he said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : HC bar on sanctioning more Plus Two courses
Next     : SBT begins 7-day banking