6 months ago
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Around 3 p.m. connected April 10, 1995, Tamil Nadu Governor M. Channa Reddy had near the Raj Bhavan (now Lok Bhavan) for Pondicherry (now, Puducherry). When his convoy reached Tindivanam, a radical of ruling AIADMK men hurled eggs and stones astatine it. The men were led by S.S. Panneerselvam, the enactment caput for Villupuram Ramasamy Padayachiar territory portion (present time Villupuram). They were aggravated that Reddy was entertaining the past Janata Party person Subramanian Swamy, who had sought to prosecute Chief Minister Jayalalithaa (then spelt Jayalalitha) connected corruption charges.
The Governor’s convoy was held up astatine Tindivanam-Pondicherry junction for implicit 15 minutes. Reddy called the District Superintendent of Police (SP), Vijayakumar, who was astatine the spot, and directed him to wide the road. The Hindu Cuddalore Correspondent reported that Mr Vijayakumar said the demonstrators threw stones and eggs, “which, however, missed the vehicles successful the Governor’s convoy.”
The incidental occurred erstwhile hostilities betwixt Jayalalithaa and Reddy were communal knowledge.
Report to Centre
The Governor promptly sent a study to the Centre attributing the clasp up of his convoy to “alleged involution of higher-ups astatine Madras (State capital)”. He concluded his study thus: “It is much than evident that the demonstrations are being organised with the constabulary assistance which is simply a bittersweet commentary connected and suggestive of the methods of the ruling party.”
When absorption parties criticised the onslaught connected the Governor’s convoy, Revenue Minister S.D. Somasundaram claimed the AIADMK men had lone assembled successful a antiauthoritarian mode to signifier a objection against Reddy’s “encouragement” to Mr. Swamy to make occupation successful the State.
Plea for recall
Endorsing this narrative, Jayalalithaa wrote to President Shankar Dayal Sharma and Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao urging them to callback the Governor. Accusing Reddy of acting with a “pre-meditated bias” she asked the Centre not to instrumentality earnestly his “continued misreporting of events successful the State.”
Disclosing the contents of her letters successful the Legislative Assembly connected April 19 that year, Jayalalithaa said the Governor’s “open espousal” of Mr. Swamy’s origin had further infused hostility successful the already vitiated ambiance of Tamil Nadu pursuing the authorisation accorded by Reddy for prosecuting her.
According to her, the Governor’s ain “unconscionable, unconstitutional actions” had rendered his presumption successful the State wholly untenable. ‘
Denying Reddy’s charges, she said, “They tin lone beryllium viewed arsenic a sinister, pre-mediated plan to task a representation of chaos and breakdown of instrumentality and nationalist bid successful Tamil Nadu arsenic to alteration him to marque an eventual study for enactment against the State authorities nether Article 356 of the Constitution.”
Jayalalithaa insisted each bandobust arrangements were successful spot on the Governor’s way connected April 10 connected the ground of quality reports. The territory SP, on with a posse of police, had gone to Tindivanam to supervise the arrangements pursuing reports that “about 1,500 AIADMK volunteers and wide public” had assembled adjacent the Government Guest House “to show with the volition of pointing retired that definite acts of the Governor had injured democracy.”
As per her account, agelong earlier the Governor’s convoy reached the place, the assemblage had been dispersed aft a mild lathi complaint by the constabulary resulting successful insignificant injuries to 4 persons. However, erstwhile the beforehand aviator car of the convoy came to the spot astir 4.25 p.m. astir 300 persons rushed retired from the adjacent autobus basal and took their presumption connected 1 broadside of the road. But, this assemblage besides was dispersed and pushed to the roadside other to Veeranam impermanent house.
“Though the mode was wide for the Governor’s convoy, Dr. Channa Reddy summoned the Superintendent of Police and told him that helium could proceed his travel lone aft the assemblage connected the roadside was afloat dispersed. The constabulary serviceman complied and made mode for the Governor aft lathi charging the assemblage successful which 7 constabulary unit and 11 demonstrators were injured. The Governor past proceeded to Pondicherry. The concern was tactfully handled without immoderate untoward incident. This was the fact,” she said. [The Hindu, April 20, 1995]
Letter to Chief Secretary
However, the Governor had written to the Chief Secretary claiming the SP had developed acold feet to grip the situation.
“The Director General of Police, successful his study to the government, had refuted this. It was besides not close to accidental that fax messages were sent from the Governor’s broadside to respective officers adjacent earlier his departure to Madras. The Chief Secretary who was successful the officers’ assemblage successful the legislature could person been easy reached. It was not wide wherefore this was not done,” Jayalalithaa told the Assembly.
In her missive to the President and Prime Minister, she said allegations of constabulary apathy, bureaucratic stupor and police-sponsored demonstrations made by the Governor “are contradictions successful presumption and person to beryllium dismissed arsenic petulant ramblings calved retired of pique.” She added, “The subjective restitution of an idiosyncratic should besides beryllium taxable to satisfying the requirements of truth.” The Governor’s “subjective conclusions,” according to her, “are partisan expressions made with the calculated and diabolical plan of creating a grounds to yet urge the dismissal of the State Government.”
Jayalalithaa said the authorities had earlier maintained soundlessness connected the incidental since it did not privation to stroke up a non-issue but she was constrained to uncover everything successful the House.
Following a authorities alteration successful 1996, a lawsuit was booked against Mr. Panneerselvam and others and prosecution was initiated.
