Centre, state govts must take immediate steps: Ramadoss

Chennai, Jan 11 (UNI) Expressing shock over the Supreme Court's judgement on laws included in the ninth schedule of the Constitution, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder leader S Ramadoss today urged the Centre and state governments to take immediate steps to prevent a ''grave danger'' to democracy.

In a statement here, he said the judgement posed a major threat to democracy as it sought to demolish the very purpose of including the ninth schedule in the constitution to give absolute immunity to certain laws in the interest of the country and people.

There could be no second opinion that rights of individuals should be protected, but the judgement gave an impression that individual right was above country's soverignity, protection, interest and above all, the interest of the people.

''If the government enacted a law against terrorism and include the same in the ninth schedule, a terrorist could challenge the validity of the law on the ground that it impinged his rights, thanks to the apex court judgement,'' the PMK leader claimed.

The judgement would subject more than 200 laws enacted after 1973 for judicial review, which would lead to a major confusion in the country, Dr Ramadoss said adding, a situation had arisen that the law, providing for 69 per cent reservation in Tamil Nadu would also be subjected for judicial review.

To prevent the big danger, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi should take all necessary steps and the Centre should convene a meeting of all Chief Ministers and elicit their views to resolve the crisis, he suggested.

UNI