DMK Legislative Party leader Thalapathi M.K.Stalin questioned the fairness of the Assembly Speaker in refusing permission to DMK members to respond to the baseless allegations of ministers on the DMK rule and Kalaignar after having allowed ministers to make slanderous speeches.
Speaking to reporters after DMK members were forcefully evicted from the House, he said the PWD minister, instead of replying to the call attention motion on Karnataka constructing reservoir across Thenpennaiyar, was wantonly speaking slanderously about the DMK and Kalaignar unnecessarily. When Duraimurugan tried to respond, the Speaker said we would be given opportunity to respond after the minister’s reply. Trusting it we sat down, he said.
But again the minister read out an unconnected matter from a daily and moreover two more ministers unconnectedly accused Kalaignar and DMK. Duraimurugan was again refused permission to reply them. The Panneerselvam spoke whimsically to which also DMK was denied opportunity to speak. Condemning this attitude, we resorted to dharna in front of the Speaker’s podium.
He said the people were aware as to who betrayed on the issues of Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar.
Protesting DMK MLAs evicted and suspended: All DMK MLAs including floor leader Thalapathi M. K. Stalin, were suspended from the Assembly for two days April 8 following an altercation with Speaker P. Dhanapal over the slanderous remarks made by Public Works Minister K. V. Ramalingam on the Cauvery and Periyar dam issues.
Trouble began when the Minister read out a statement during a discussion on Karnataka’s attempt to construct dams across the Pennar. The DMK members, led by Duraimurugan, objected to some of the remarks made by the Minister absolutely unrelated to the subject of discussion and making a baseless allegation against the DMK rule and Kalaignar that the state’s rights on Cauvery water and Mullaiperiyar dam were given up by them. Then the Minister started reading out a report from ‘Dinamani’ daily on Lankan issue, when Thiru. Stalin and others stood up protesting and asked whether they could also read out reports from dailies. But the Speaker was only warning the DMK members and never restrained the Minister from deviating from the subject and making slanderous remarks. The altercation led to chaos and confusion in the House.
The Leader of the House O. Panneerselvam said the members could raise their objections after the Minister completed his reply. Again the Minister repeatedly read out allegations despite protests by members.
When Duraimurugan rose to respond, the Speaker asked him to complete his speech in one minute as demands for grants for two more departments had to be taken up. The DMK deputy leader said the Minister instead of replying to the call attention motion was accusing the DMK rule of giving up rights on Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar. “Let him explain in which manner what were the rights given up by us. Then we will speak”.
The minister was nonplussed at this unexpected query and maintained stoic silence leading to tense moments in the House. Coming to the rescue of the minister, Local Administration Minister stood up and gave a lengthy explanation about the letter written by their CM.
Finance Minister, O. Panneerselvam, intervened to say that though the DMK was in a position to get the Cauvery award gazetted and raise the level of the Periyar dam as per the direction of the Supreme Court it did not do so. It was the Chief Minister, Jayalalitha, who secured the rights of Tamil Nadu in the two inter-State river water issues. Following him ministers Natham Viswanathan and Vaithialingam also tried to intervene.
When Duraimurugan wanted to raise a point and he was joined by his colleagues. The Speaker said when they were given time to reply, the member was trying to raise another issue.
When the DMK members were not allowed to reply to the points raised by the PWD Minister, they rushed to the well of the House and squatted near the Speaker’s chair, raising slogans. As they continued with their protest, seeking an opportunity to speak, the Speaker asked the Marshal to evict them. All DMK members including Stalin were physically removed from the House.
Panneerselvam objected to the ‘behaviour’ of the DMK members and called for action from the Speaker alleging that they had come with a plan to disrupt the proceedings.
The Speaker said the DMK members were given an opportunity to speak despite paucity of time on a day when demands for grants from two Ministers were to be passed.
Later, Panneerselvam moved a motion for suspending the DMK members for two days for “lowering the dignity of the House.”
Speaking to reporters after DMK members were forcefully evicted from the House, he said the PWD minister, instead of replying to the call attention motion on Karnataka constructing reservoir across Thenpennaiyar, was wantonly speaking slanderously about the DMK and Kalaignar unnecessarily. When Duraimurugan tried to respond, the Speaker said we would be given opportunity to respond after the minister’s reply. Trusting it we sat down, he said.
But again the minister read out an unconnected matter from a daily and moreover two more ministers unconnectedly accused Kalaignar and DMK. Duraimurugan was again refused permission to reply them. The Panneerselvam spoke whimsically to which also DMK was denied opportunity to speak. Condemning this attitude, we resorted to dharna in front of the Speaker’s podium.
He said the people were aware as to who betrayed on the issues of Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar.
Protesting DMK MLAs evicted and suspended: All DMK MLAs including floor leader Thalapathi M. K. Stalin, were suspended from the Assembly for two days April 8 following an altercation with Speaker P. Dhanapal over the slanderous remarks made by Public Works Minister K. V. Ramalingam on the Cauvery and Periyar dam issues.
Trouble began when the Minister read out a statement during a discussion on Karnataka’s attempt to construct dams across the Pennar. The DMK members, led by Duraimurugan, objected to some of the remarks made by the Minister absolutely unrelated to the subject of discussion and making a baseless allegation against the DMK rule and Kalaignar that the state’s rights on Cauvery water and Mullaiperiyar dam were given up by them. Then the Minister started reading out a report from ‘Dinamani’ daily on Lankan issue, when Thiru. Stalin and others stood up protesting and asked whether they could also read out reports from dailies. But the Speaker was only warning the DMK members and never restrained the Minister from deviating from the subject and making slanderous remarks. The altercation led to chaos and confusion in the House.
The Leader of the House O. Panneerselvam said the members could raise their objections after the Minister completed his reply. Again the Minister repeatedly read out allegations despite protests by members.
When Duraimurugan rose to respond, the Speaker asked him to complete his speech in one minute as demands for grants for two more departments had to be taken up. The DMK deputy leader said the Minister instead of replying to the call attention motion was accusing the DMK rule of giving up rights on Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar. “Let him explain in which manner what were the rights given up by us. Then we will speak”.
The minister was nonplussed at this unexpected query and maintained stoic silence leading to tense moments in the House. Coming to the rescue of the minister, Local Administration Minister stood up and gave a lengthy explanation about the letter written by their CM.
Finance Minister, O. Panneerselvam, intervened to say that though the DMK was in a position to get the Cauvery award gazetted and raise the level of the Periyar dam as per the direction of the Supreme Court it did not do so. It was the Chief Minister, Jayalalitha, who secured the rights of Tamil Nadu in the two inter-State river water issues. Following him ministers Natham Viswanathan and Vaithialingam also tried to intervene.
When Duraimurugan wanted to raise a point and he was joined by his colleagues. The Speaker said when they were given time to reply, the member was trying to raise another issue.
When the DMK members were not allowed to reply to the points raised by the PWD Minister, they rushed to the well of the House and squatted near the Speaker’s chair, raising slogans. As they continued with their protest, seeking an opportunity to speak, the Speaker asked the Marshal to evict them. All DMK members including Stalin were physically removed from the House.
Panneerselvam objected to the ‘behaviour’ of the DMK members and called for action from the Speaker alleging that they had come with a plan to disrupt the proceedings.
The Speaker said the DMK members were given an opportunity to speak despite paucity of time on a day when demands for grants from two Ministers were to be passed.
Later, Panneerselvam moved a motion for suspending the DMK members for two days for “lowering the dignity of the House.”
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