Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 8 : DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday questioned whether the state Legislative Assembly was being conducted with dignity after DMK legislators were evicted from the House following a protest over Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s remarks on the MISA Act and the Sarkaria Commission.
Following a meeting with DMK MLAs after their walkout, Stalin criticised the manner in which Assembly proceedings were being conducted.
“The dignity of the Legislative Assembly is such that one has to ask whether it is being conducted with dignity,” Stalin said.
The remarks came after DMK legislators staged a sit-in outside Speaker JCD Prabhakar’s chamber, objecting to Vijay’s remarks made during Monday’s proceedings. The Speaker subsequently ordered marshals to evacuate the protesting DMK legislators from the House.
DMK MLA and party whip EV Velu had raised objections to references made to the MISA Act, the Sarkaria Commission and vigilance cases during the Chief Minister’s reply. He argued that cases under investigation should not be discussed on the floor of the House.
“Reading out cases is an act that violates tradition. Yesterday the Chief Minister had spoken about MISA and the Sarkaria Commission. Reading out Vigilance cases during the Chief Minister’s reply is a violation of tradition. Comments cannot be made on cases that are under investigation,” Velu said.
Velu later accused the government of diverting the discussion from the current law and order situation.
“What we asked for is an answer on the current worsening law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, but the CM diverted the issue and spoke about the MISA Act,” he said.
Speaker JCD Prabhakar rejected the DMK’s demand to expunge Vijay’s remarks on MISA, saying the Chief Minister had referred to matters that had already been discussed in the House.
“The DMK wasn't ready to listen for even a minute to CM Vijay's speech yesterday. CM Vijay mentioned things that were already mentioned in the House regarding the MISA Act. So there is no need to expunge the CM's speech on the MISA Act,” the Speaker said.
The confrontation follows heated exchanges during Monday’s proceedings, when the DMK staged a walkout after Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin was not allowed to immediately respond to allegations made by Vijay against the previous DMK government.
Vijay had referred to Enforcement Directorate material, the Sarkaria Commission and alleged corruption and irregularities during earlier DMK regimes.