AIADMK-DMK showdown in RS over transfers

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 3. Frequent skirmishes between the AIADMK and the DMK on a private member's bill on Centre-State relations monopolised proceedings in the Rajya Sabha today.

The role of the Governor and the Centre requisitioning the services of the three officers of the Tamil Nadu police, involved in the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and two Union Ministers, provoked members of the two parties to over-indulge in sharp exchanges. The situation took a turn for the worse when they were invited to speak on the subject.

At one point, it appeared that proceedings during the generally placid Friday afternoon would be disrupted. An agitated DMK member almost entered the well of the House while remonstrating against the AIADMK's Mr. P. G. Narayanan's veiled reference to those involved in the arrest of Mr. Karunanidhi and others. The AIADMK's troupe of newly-elected MPs was about to follow the DMK into the well - an unprecedented act in the Rajya Sabha - before senior members from the Opposition and the Treasury benches prevailed upon the members of the two parties to go back to their seats.

If the DMK was determined to challenge every sentence uttered by Mr. Narayanan, the same was the case when Mr. C. P. Thirunavukkarasu (DMK) was asked to speak. Points of order by either side and frequent quoting of rules, most of which were erroneous, were the order of the day. At one point, an exasperated Chair was compelled to point out that discussions before the DMK and the AIADMK members took the podium conformed to a certain standard.

Mr. Thirunavukkarasu said transfers of officers belonging to All- India services were routine. He cited instances when Tamil Nadu had requisitioned the services of officers serving in Delhi. Predictably, Mr. Narayanan maintained the opposite, saying the State's powers were being eroded and the Centre was attempting to weaken the States. It was violating well-established norms and conventions to antagonise unfriendly State Governments. The transfers were ``not sustainable by law'' and ``tainted by malice.''

The earlier speakers, including Mr. S. Ramachandran Pillai of the CPI(M), who initiated the debate, and senior Congress member, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, felt the developments in Tamil Nadu had necessitated the framing of a code of conduct for Union Ministers visiting the States. The developments in the State, including the removal of the Governor, Ms. Fathima Beevi, and the transfer of the three IPS officers without taking the State into confidence indicated the growing trend towards centralisation of power.

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