Stating that the government headed by her was fully aware of
the contribution of government employees and teachers to the society and has
been taking various measures for their welfare, Chief Minister Jayalalitha on
Apr.9 announced a seven percent hike in the Dearness Allowance for employees,
teachers and pensioners of the State government with retrospective effect from
Jan.1, 2012. She read out this announcement by making a statement under Rule
No.110 in the Assembly.
Even before the preparation of TN government’s budget in the
Assembly, i.e. on March 23 the Central government announced DA hike to its
employees. Hence this announcement of her could have been included in the
Budget statement and announced. But while referring to the welfare of
government employees, this DA hike was not informed.
After the Budget presentation, DMK President and former
Chief Minister Kalaignar, in a statement on March 27 said, “This government
continues to have grudge against government employees. Whenever DMK was in
power, it was following the practice of granting increase in DA to them from
the same date whenever Centre raised it. But now even after the Centre
announcing 7 percent hike for its employees, the state government had not made
any announcement in this budget.”
The DMK members and members of the communist parties also
raised the issue while participating in the debate on the budget. Even after
that, the Finance Minister O.Panneer Selvam, in his reply to the debate, did
not make this announcement.
Now the State government had prepared DA hike for government
employees as a statement under Rule 110 and Jayalalitha herself read it out in
the House, so that newspersons publish the news, “Jayalalitha announces DA hike
for government employees”. How crazy is this lady for publicity? Poor Finance
Minister!
But how much of Jayalalitha’s concern for the welfare of
government employees, is true?
The TESMA Act enacted by her regime in2003 to suppress their
agitation and victimize them was repealed by the DMK rule on 7.6.2006.
It was Jayalalitha who had the temerity to speak at a
function of a government employees’ association that 94 per cent of
government’s total revenue had to be spent on salaries and pension of government
employees. Later she was clarified that she got the figures wrong, but there
was no remorse from her.
It was her regime which arrested thousands of striking
government employees including women around midnight and lodged them in jail,
and also refused to treat the period of their stir as service.
It was only DMK rule which conceded their demand of counting
the period of their strike in service and issued orders on June 23, 2006. It is
now Jaya regime which refuses to reinstate till date 13,000 Makkal Nala
Paniyalargal in spite of verdicts given by High Court and Supreme Court and has
gone on further appeal. Because of this regime obstinacy 20 of them had lost
their lives.
Similarly it was the ADMK regime which dismissed road
workers and cooperative society employees.
The ADMK regime cancelled from 2002 the Pongal bonus/
exgratia paid to government employees by the DMK rule during Pongal festivals
and only after the DMK government took over it was introduced again.
Similarly the ADMK government in 2001 withheld the
concession for government employees and teachers for encashing privilege leave
and only at the time of 2006 Assembly election it was revoked on 8.2.2006.
The ADMK regime withheld 60 per cent of the arrears on
account of salary revision from 2003 according to Fifth Pay Commissioon and
later it was the DMK government which paid it to them.
People of Tamil Nadu know very well that the ADMK regime
considered government employees as untouchables. Now even the DA hike due to
them was not announced in the budget or in the reply for the debate and
Jayalalitha read out the statement under Rule 110 announcing it and
appreciating their services, which was drafted by the officials and did not
come from her heart. Government employees cannot be taken for granted by her as
they are very well aware of the fact that it was Kalaignar who conceded their
longstanding demand and abolished the system of ‘secret diary’ and detailing
the benefits and concessions offered by his rule every time will extend as a
history.
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