Chennai, Nov 06: A bill, seeking to replace the controversial ordinance empowering the state government to dismiss its employees if they went on strike, was introduced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, amidst stiff opposition from CPI-M and CPI members. The statement of objects and reasons of the bill, introduced by Finance Minister C Ponnaiyan, said the Tamil Nadu Essential Services Maintenance Act had not explicitly provided for effective steps to deal with government servants, who openly defied the notification issued declaring any strike as 'illegal'.
Government thought it fit that it should have powers to deal with such defiant persons in a manner effectively affecting their service conditions, it said.
CPI-M leader J Hemachandran and CPI leader G Palanisamy opposed the bill at the introduction stage itself.
DMK, Congress and PMK MLAs were not present, when the bill was introduced. However, two dissident PMK MLAs Murugavelrajan and Sivakami Vincent, who did not participate in the PMK walkout earlier, were present in the House.
Tamil Nadu government, invoking the provisions of the ordinance promulgated by Governor P S Ramamohan Rao on July 4, had dismissed over 1.5 lakh employees for their participation in the strike, called by several government employees' organisations demanding restoration of curtailed benefits. Bureau Report