On Friday, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami sharply criticized the DMK government, alleging its failure to address the grievances of government employees and fill numerous vacant posts across various departments, thereby exacerbating work pressure on the current workforce.Palaniswami’s statement pointed out that government employees, much like the general public, are experiencing significant challenges under the current administration. He highlighted that over 25 positions in the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell at the Secretariat remain unfilled, resulting in an increased workload for the existing staff. Citing media reports, Palaniswami urged the Chief Minister to expedite the filling of these vacancies.
He noted that similar issues persist in other government departments and called on the Chief Minister to engage in dialogue with representatives from transport employees, government doctors, and teachers’ associations to address their concerns comprehensively.
Further compounding the administration’s troubles, Palaniswami referenced media reports detailing complaints lodged with the State Human Rights Commission by employees from the Department of Handloom, Handicraft, Textiles, and Khadi. These employees have reported harassment by senior officials, with the Commission receiving approximately 150 complaints in the past eight monthsâa number Palaniswami termed unprecedented.
In addition to these workforce issues, Palaniswami urged the DMK government to reassess the law and order situation in the state and direct the police to take stringent action against anti-social elements. He accused the current regime of allowing sand mafias to attack revenue department officials attempting to curb illegal mining activities.
Another point of contention raised by Palaniswami was the administration’s treatment of government teachers. He criticized the government’s mandate requiring teachers to upload student attendance on the EMIS website, which he claimed is plagued by poor connectivity and technical issues. This directive, he argued, has caused significant hardship for teachers, who struggle with unreliable internet access and frequent website malfunctions.
Palaniswami’s criticisms come at a time when the DMK government faces mounting pressure to address administrative inefficiencies and improve the working conditions for its employees.