CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said she was insulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly when she tried to speak on the government’s inefficient administration, flaws in plans and the deteriorating law and order situation.
In a statement here, Jayalalithaa said she participated in the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address on Monday to express her views and end the debate in her capacity as the Leader of the Opposition.
“Unable to tolerate criticism, the DMK ministers and MLAs did not allow me to complete even two sentences and created obstacles by shouting. The legislative traditions and rules were flouted and they insulted the Leader of the Opposition to the maximum possible extent,” she said adding, no other leader of the Opposition was abused the way she was in the history of the TN Assembly.
The Speaker did not respond when the AIADMK chief greeted him. Neither Chief Minister M Karunanidhi nor Leader of the House K Anbazhagan tried to stop or condemn minister Parithi Illamvazhuthi when he addressed her in singular and used undignified language.
Ministers Durai Murugan and Ponmudi were making verbal attacks, ruling MLAs kept shouting, but the Speaker did nothing to stop them.
He, however, warned AIADMK members when they sought to question the ruling party members, she said.
When Anbazhagan was the Leader of the Opposition during the AIADMK regime no one interfered when he spoke and he was given due respect.
“Anbazhagan used slanderous words after I left the Assembly forgetting the respect he enjoyed during the AIADMK rule.” Pointing out that a minister referred to the Mahamaham tank incident when she wanted to know why no help was rendered to police sub-inspector Vetrivel, the AIADMK leader said there was no link between the two incidents. She was not on the spot when the Mahamaham accident took place but the ministers were present when the police official bled to death.
“Had I been there, I would have done whatever was possible,” she said referring to the Mahamaham incident.
MGR had late leader Anna in mind in the “Enna thaan nadakkum nadakattumey” song and not Karunanidhi as was claimed by him.
She sang it in the Assembly cherishing MGR’s thoughts and the chief minister misinterpreted it, which only shows his ignorance, Jayalalithaa stressed.