AIADMK and MDMK MLAs stage dharna
CHENNAI: AIADMK and MDMK MLAs on Friday staged a dharna by squatting on the wall of the Assembly and raised slogans against the government on various issues, particularly the rise in prices of essential commodities.
Even as Governor Surjit Singh Barnala had been waiting to deliver his customary address, the proceedings were disrupted for about 15 minutes and at one point of time, many AIADMK members had to be forcefully escorted out.
The marshals had a tough time evicting the AIADMK and CPI members amidst their vociferous protests. AIADMK MLA Pollachi Jayaraman had been seen engaging in a scuffle with a couple of marshals. In the melee, the cap of a marshal also fell.
Interestingly, the members of the ruling party remained silent spectators to the developments.
As soon as the Governor started reading out the highlights of his speech, AIADMK members, clad in black shirts and led by Deputy Leader of Opposition O Panneerselvam, were up on their feet.
Panneerselvam then read out a statement and later, his colleagues started raising slogans against the DMK government and squatted on the well of the House.
CPM Floor Leader K Balabharathi, G Latha and K Mahendran, sporting black pieces of cloth around their necks, had also been physically evicted.
Some AIADMK MLAs even shredded copies of the Governor's address.
As the drama continued, AIADMK MLAs C Jayaraman, G Hari, D Jayakumar, M Paranjothi, V Senthil Balaji, C Ponnudurai, S P Velumani and L Ravichandran were seen wearing 'vegetable garlands', while former agriculture minister K Pandurangan distributed onions to his colleagues.
Once outside the House, Panneerselvam said they had protested as their demand for raising vital issues like rise in prices of essential commodities, law and order and interState water disputes, had not been not heeded. He also charged that the Spectrum scam had brought a bad name to Tamil Nadu.
Later, Speaker R Avudaiappan informed journalists that the marshals, who had been attacked by the opposition members, had lodged complaints with him and action would be taken against the errant MLAs in accordance with the House rules.