Monday, February 7 2005 17:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today (Feb 7, 2005) criticised the Centre for asking the State Government to withdraw the promotions, announced by her to ADGP and STF chief K Vijayakumar and two superintendents of police.

Replying to a debate on the motion of thanks to the governor for his address to the State Assembly, she said the Centre, instead of appreciating the officers for their "heroic" efforts in eliminating forest brigand Veerappan, who had troubled the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, had asked the Government to withdraw promotions given to Vijayakumar, ADGP, Senthamaraikannan and Shanmugavel, SPs.

"This will demoralise the police force in the country," she said.

The Union Home Secretary, in a letter to the chief secretary, had rejected the State's request to promote them, and also asked it to withdraw the promotions it has effected, she said.

She had also written a letter to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, for which she had not received any reply, she said.

The State Government had also recommended Vijayakumar's name for Padmashree award, Sentharamaikannan and Shanmugavelu for Ashoka Chakra awards, and three police officers for Krithi Chakra awards.

This had also not been accepted, she said and asked, "When so many persons were honoured with these awards, why not these personnel. Are they not fit enough to receive these awards," she asked.