- Tamil Nadu court allows temporary jobs for 41 Karur stampede victims' families
- Court will not interfere in TVK policy but jobs subject to final orders
- DMK fears jobs may influence witnesses and hamper CBI probe
In significant interim relief for the ruling TVK government, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday declined to stay the Tamil Nadu government's decision to offer government jobs to the families of the 41 people killed in the Karur TVK rally stampede. However, the court directed that the appointments would remain purely temporary and subject to the final outcome of the case.
A bench of Justices C V Karthikeyan and Sakthivel said it did not wish to interfere with a government policy decision at this stage. At the same time, it observed that the appointments would be subject to the court's final orders and directed that the petitions be heard before the beneficiaries receive their first month's salary. The matter has been posted to July 21.
The court also suo motu impleaded the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) as a respondent and directed that notice be issued to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the Karur stampede under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
The petitions, filed by Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Theeran Thirumurugan and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi functionary Seeni Ahamed, sought a stay on the government's proposed decision to provide one government job to a member of each bereaved family. They argued that such appointments would bypass recruitment through the TNPSC and other statutory processes, violate the principles of equality in public employment, and set an unhealthy precedent.
The petitioners also contended that since the CBI investigation is underway, granting government jobs to the victims' families could influence material witnesses and compromise the fairness of the probe. They argued that previous tragedies, including the Kumbakonam school fire, the Dharmapuri bus burning case and the Thoothukudi Sterlite firing, did not automatically result in government jobs for victims' families and that any such scheme should be backed by a statutory framework.
During the hearing, the judges repeatedly questioned the petitioners' objections, asking, "What is wrong in providing government jobs to the families of those who lost their lives? Don't the affected families need financial assistance?" When the petitioners referred to political developments, the bench cautioned that "this is not a political platform or a public platform" and asked counsel to confine arguments to legal issues.
Appearing for the state, the government informed the court that the appointment orders were scheduled to be issued later on Friday. It also pointed out that government jobs had been provided in the aftermath of the Thoothukudi Sterlite firing, countering the petitioners' claim that there was no precedent.
The order comes a day after a PIL was filed challenging the proposed appointments and on the day Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is scheduled to visit Karur for the first time since assuming office. During the visit, Vijay is expected to meet the families of the 41 victims and hand over appointment orders to eligible family members.
Forty-one people, including children, were killed in the stampede at a TVK rally addressed by Vijay in September last year, when the DMK was in power. Police 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.
The CBI has since questioned Vijay twice in Delhi, while several senior TVK leaders, who are now ministers in his cabinet, also figure as accused in the case.
