SC seeks details from AIADMK on contempt plea on TN bandh row

The Supreme Court asked the AIADMK to cite specific instances for justifying contempt action against TN Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Union Transport Minister T R Baalu, and other officials for organising a state-wide bandh on 1st October, 2007 over the Sethusamudram project row. A bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi hearing the contempt petition said it appears that the Chief Minister immediately on receipt of the court's order had issued a statement "about the withdrawal of the call for ceasation of work." "He (Chief Minister) did not say that inspite of our order, the bandh will take place. There was no injunction on holding a fast," the bench remarked, while posing searching questions on the bandh row. On 30th September, last year, despite it being a Sunday, the apex court held a rare sitting and restrained the Tamil Nadu government from going ahead with the State sponsored bandh on 1st October, on the Sethusamudram project issue. The AIADMK had subsequently moved the apex court alleging that inspite of the injunction against the bandh, the Karunanidhi Government enforced the bandh thus committing contempt of court. The arguments on the contempt petition commenced on Tuesday after the Chief Minister, Baalu and other contemnors filed affidavits denying the allegations and maintained that the hartal call was withdrawn and only a token fast was observed by the leaders. Guru Krishna Kumar, counsel, appearing for the AIADMK submitted that there was total bandh in the State as the public transport services, which were under the Government control, were crippled due to the officially-sponsored bandh. To this the bench remarked, "If the trade unions ask the workers not to come for work, can the Transport Secretary compel them to work?" The Transport Secretary has also been made a contemnor in the proceedings by the AIADMK. The apex court also asked the AIADMK counsel to produce evidence to prove that bus services were crippled in the State on account of the bandh. The bench pointed out that as per the affidavit filed by the State Transport Department, it earned a revenue of Rs 483 lakh on the day of the said bandh, which is contrary to the allegations that public transport services were totally crippled in the State. The arguments will resume on Wednesday

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