Centre’s ‘compulsory retirement plan’ draws TN Opposition’s flak

In an editorial in the party mouthpiece ‘Murasoli,’ the DMK equated issues related to unemployment under the BJP rule to “threats from hungry wolves waiting to devour their prey.” 

It said non-creation of new job opportunities, increase in unemployment and not filling existing vacancies were the three-fold serious issues on the job front under the BJP-led dispensation.

“The Union government has ordered compulsory retirement after evaluating work (eligibility) of employees who have either put in 30 years of service or completed 55 years of age,” the editorial stated. “Due to this order, all employees who have completed 55 years of age in Central government departments should be prepared to go home,” it said.

The party organ, citing news reports, also claimed thatas a result of the Centre’s directive, as many as 3 lakh employees of Indian Railways and 18,000 from Southern Railway will be affected.

The DMK said though Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured 2 crore jobs in the run-up to 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he could not deliver on the promise in the last five years. Only a few lakh job openings were created and it was not only woefully inadequate to the very huge requirement, but also did not help address the serious unemployment situation in the country, the daily said.

“The pain of unemployment peaked in the BJP regime which was unprecedented in the last 45 years,” the editorial added. Recently, the Centre had sacked 12 Income Tax officers on charges of corruption, forgery and professional misconduct besides demoting four joint commissioner-rank officers to deputy commissioner-rank over graft charges. 

Also, the Centre had dismissed from service 15 senior customs and central excise officials, including one of the rank of principal commissioner, on charges of corruption.