Big Relief For Karur Victims As Top Court Clears Jobs By Vijay Government

Why can't the government give employment to families in such tragedies, the Supreme Court said Friday, referencing the Vijay government's move to provide jobs to families of those who died in the Karur stampede last year, staying the Madras High Court order that had cancelled the Tamil Nadu government's jobs order.

Forty-one people, including children, were killed in the stampede at a TVK rally addressed by Vijay in September last, when the DMK was in power.

The police had alleged that Vijay's delayed arrival led to crowds swelling beyond the permitted capacity and cited several lapses, including inadequate drinking water, food and toilet facilities. The TVK rejected the allegations, blaming police failure and alleging a conspiracy by former DMK minister Senthil Balaji, a charge he has denied.

"Stampede happened, people died. If the government decided that they should be provided with some succour, and decided to compensate them with money, how are you to question them that no employment should be given? suppose the sole member died in the tragedy, shouldn't the government give some employment to son or daughter?" a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran said, issuing notice to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary and others.

In a setback to the TVK government, the Madras High Court on July 27 had quashed Vijay's order providing government jobs to relatives of people who died in the stampede, saying it violates Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 16 (Equality of Opportunity in Government Employment) of the Constitution

The High Court further noted that the move will open "floodgates" for others to seek such employment.

A division bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel of the high court had held that it was not appropriate to overlook the needs of many who are waiting to get compassionate appointments in government departments.

Earlier in July, Chief Minister Vijay handed over compassionate appointment orders to 32 legal heirs of the victims who lost their lives in the stampede. The compassionate appointments form part of the state government's relief and rehabilitation measures aimed at providing financial security to the bereaved families.