PUDUCHERRY: Chaos erupted in the Puducherry Assembly on March 24 as Opposition members from the DMK and Congress, led by LoP R Siva were evicted when they staged a dharna in the well of the House.
They demanded an adjournment motion to discuss the arrest of PWD Chief Engineers an Executive Engineer, and a contractor by the CBI in a graft case and resignation of PWD Minister K Lakshminarayanan.
LoP R Siva was carried out of the Assembly by the watch and ward.
As soon as the House assembled, Siva pressed for a discussion on the issue involving the arrests, but Speaker R Selvam refused to interrupt the Question Hour, assuring that the issue could be taken up after the Hour with responses from the Chief Minister and the PWD Minister.
However, Opposition members insisted on an immediate debate, arguing that the matter was of utmost importance.
As the Adi Dravida Welfare Minister Sai Saravana Kumar was replying to the first question raised by P Angalan (independent), DMK and Congress legislators ignoring the Speaker’s decision moved near the Speaker’s podium, demanding the PWD Minister’s resignation.
When they continued their protest by sitting in the well of the House, the Speaker ordered their eviction. While R Siva was physically carried out by the Watch and Ward staff, other members were escorted out.
Subsequently following the appeal to opposition members by Chief Minister N Rangasamy to come to the House and participate in the proceedings, the DMK and Congress MLAs returned to the house .
However, DMK legislators A.M.H. Nazeem and Naga Thiagarajan attempted to raise the issue again, but the Speaker declined permission, citing the ongoing CBI investigation.
Ruling party members, including PML Kalyanasundaram, KSP Ramesh, Baskar, V. Arumugam, and A. John Kumar objected to the demands of opposition members.
Home Minister A. Namassivayam defended the PWD Minister, stating that demanding the resignation of the minister for arrests of officials was improper and said that the members were indulging in publicity politics.
Speaking to the media later, R Siva vowed to intensify protests demanding a white paper over alleged irregularities in multiple construction projects of the PWD, including the New Bus Stand and Lakshminarayanan’s resignation.
Congress Legislative Party Leader M. Vaidyanathan supported the demand, citing former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy’s earlier allegations of corruption, which, he claimed, were now validated by the CBI’s action.