Chennai, August 27: The state secretary of CPI(M), P. Shanmugam, has called for action against Chief Secretary C. Joseph Vijay, the Tehsildar of Guzhiliyamparai, and other officials accused of attempting to suppress leftist organizations’ activities.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Vijay, Shanmugam requested the cancellation of a decision made during a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary, along with the withdrawal of a controversial circular.
According to Shanmugam, the circular instructed the departments of school education, higher education, police, and district administration to collaborate in preventing students and the public from participating in protests organized by leftist parties and the CJP.
This issue was reportedly deemed of high priority, with departments instructed to submit reports on their actions. Shanmugam labeled the directive as illegal and unconstitutional, alleging it was a deliberate attempt to target leftist organizations.
He emphasized that the decisions made in a meeting with the state’s senior bureaucrats cannot be dismissed as mere actions of junior officials and demanded clarification from the Chief Minister regarding the government’s stance.
The CPM leader asserted that the constitutional right to protest belongs to all citizens and expressed concerns over the proposed involvement of police in educational institutions to deter students from participating in demonstrations.
Shanmugam questioned why the government sought clarification only from the joint director who sent the notification to colleges, while no action was taken against those who made the original decision.
Referring to an apology from the Higher Education Minister in the assembly, Shanmugam stated that the CPM sought accountability, not an apology.
He also accused the Tehsildar of Guzhiliyamparai in Dindigul district of instructing village administrative officers to gather details about CPM and CPI members in the taluk.
He condemned this action as intimidation and an abuse of official power. Initially, the district administration indicated that the Tehsildar would be transferred after completing training, but later sought clarification under Rule 17A of the Tamil Nadu Government Employees Conduct Rules.
Shanmugam argued that this serious misuse of power was being treated as a minor disciplinary issue. He dismissed Law Minister R. Nirmal Kumar’s claim that the Tehsildar acted based on personal preference, asserting that such abuse of position warrants strict action.
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