The Hindu : Strike politically motivated: CM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 22, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Strike politically motivated: CM

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

CHENNAI Aug. 21. A majority of 3500 government college teachers struck work today even as the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, said she was ready to hold talks with protesting staff, though their stir was ``politically motivated''. After her reassurance yesterday failed to move the teachers, who opposed the legislation converting government colleges into constituents of universities, Ms. Jayalalithaa accused the DMK, Left parties and the PMK of inciting the strike. ``There is no basis for the strike. The doubts and fears expressed by the teachers and students have been clearly addressed in my statement yesterday. I once again appeal to them to see reason'', she told the media at the Secretariat here. The Tamil Nadu Universities Laws (Amendment) Act provided for protection of service as well as terminal benefits. The fee structure too would not be hiked now, she reiterated and insisted that the stir was ``unwarranted and unreasonable''.

As the State was facing a ``financial crunch'', the legislation would enable the universities and the colleges to attain excellence in higher education with increased grants from the University Grants Commission.

Asked whether she would meet representatives of the teachers and students, Ms. Jayalalithaa said she had no reservations about doing so. ``If they want to be told in person what I have already stated, I am ready to do so''.

To another question whether the government had any game plan to counter the stir, she expressed the hope that the teachers would respond to her appeal. However, if the stir continued, the education of students would suffer and the teachers would lose their pay.

Asked whether the stir was another obstacle to her reformist agenda, Ms. Jayalalithaa launched into a tirade against the Opposition. ``This is politics of a petty kind which has total disregard for the total advancement of the State.''

This morning, members of the Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association, staged demonstrations and conducted meetings near colleges. In some institutions in Chennai, Tiruchi and Salem, students too joined the stir. The TNGCTA said the Government had not addressed the main issues raised by the teachers such as filling up of 1,050 vacancies.

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