Leader of Opposition V Vaithilingam on Tuesday demanded that the AINRC government give full powers to the police department in a similar way as the Supreme Court gave directions for full powers to CBI, so that the police could crack down on anti-social elements, rowdies and put them behind bars.
Addressing a press conference, Vaithilingam said that discussing the law and order issues with the Inspector General of police and giving directions to take actions will not solve the problems. The government should also act by responding to the proposals sent by the police enlisting the names of 110 criminals for booking them under Goondas Act. The Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order ) has already pointed out that more than 70 such proposals sent for booking rowdies under Goondas Act are pending with the government.
Vaithilingam alleged that since several criminals named in the list sent for approval to book under Goondas Act are close to Rangasamy, he is trying to keep the Act in abeyance and the government is not ready to contain goondaism here.
“If the government does not give approval how can the police take action,” he asked? The CM should convene a meeting with the top officials and then take appropriate steps on this issue. He demanded that within two or three days, the proposals pertaining to booking rowdies under Goondas Act should be scrutinised and approval granted.
He said that rules for implementation of the Act need to be framed in such a way as to give more teeth to the Act and also appoint all the statutory committees necessary under the Act.
Further, he appealed to the Lt Governor to convene a meeting with IGP and discuss the crime scenario threadbare with the officials. He also appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to examine whether the Goondas Act in its present form is fit to put criminals behind bars.