Centre sends another letter to TN

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI, AUG. 14. Contrary to the expectations of a harsh demarche to the Tamil Nadu Government to make available immediately the services of three ``controversial'' IPS officers, the Centre this evening sent a rather mild communication to the Jayalalithaa regime, seeking its ``concurrence'' to the proposed transfer ``forthwith'' of the officers ``in the public interest'' on Central deputation.

In a letter addressed to the Home Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government, the Union Home Ministry has virtually rejected the Tamil Nadu Government's plea of August 1, 2001, and has pointed out that as against the Tamil Nadu quota of 46 Officers, only 23 Officers from the State cadre have so far been tapped by the Centre. The Centre, according to this communication, was ``empowered to draw IPS officers from the States up to the CDR Central Deputation Reserve0 share for manning posts in the Government of India.

Assuring the Tamil Nadu Government that these officers would be ``assigned posts/duties commensurate with their seniority,'' the Centre's communication adds that these officers are needed ``for sensitive assignments in the Government of India.''

The tone and tenor of the Central communication appears to be reasonable and conciliatory. The Vajpayee Government seems to be mindful of the fact that the senior echelons in the bureaucracy are not exactly happy at being made a pawn in the battle between two political parties in Tamil Nadu.

Rajagopalan case likely to be treated separately

By Suresh Nambath

CHENNAI, AUG. 14. As the Centre begins to step up pressure for the release of four IPS officers from Tamil Nadu for their services in New Delhi, the State Government is considering the possibility of treating the case of Dr. R. Rajagopalan, who was appointed the chief of the National Security Guards(NSG), separately.

This is primarily because the State Government believes that the transfer of the other three IPS officers was ``politically motivated'' and ``punitive'' in nature.

In the case of Dr. Rajagopalan, the main grouse of the State Government is that it was not consulted before-hand. Of course, in its reply to the Centre, the State Government had claimed that his services were required in Tamil Nadu for sensitising and training police personnel.

But, with Dr. Rajagopalan being keen on taking up the new assignment, the State Government does not want to be seen as retaining him out of ``vindictiveness.'' Dr. Rajagopalan, who was the DGP during the DMK period, was actually shifted to the relatively insignificant post of DGP (Training). Following the latest missive from the Centre, wherein it was stated that the services of Dr. Rajagopalan were required for the much more essential post of the NSG chief, the State Government might not put up resistance much further.

However, in the case of the other three officers - Mr. K. Muthukaruppan, Mr. S. George and Mr. Christopher Nelson - the State Government would only harden its stance. None of the three officers wants to take up the new assignment in the Capital. And the State Government feels justified in persisting with the argument that their shift was in violation of the transfer norms laid down by the Centre itself.

There would not be any great difficulty in treating the case of Dr. Rajagopalan differently as the orders for his transfer had come separately. A decision is likely in the ``next few days.''

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