DMK legislators walked out of the Assembly again, on Wednesday, after a shouting match with the ruling party over Social Welfare Minister B Valarmathi’s remarks on the conference held by the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) in New Delhi.
In her remarks before replying to the demand for grants, Valarmathi ridiculed TESO’s recent conference: “The kind of people they invited makes one feel they might as well have invited (Lankan President Mahinda) Rajapakse. They struggled to hold that conference and it barely had participation.”
DMK MLAs, led by heir-apparent M K Stalin and senior leader Duraimurugan, were on their feet immediately after, demanding the remarks be expunged. “We are here to listen to the minister’s reply on the demand for grants for her department. What does TESO have to do with her social welfare Department?” asked Stalin.
DMK’s MLA T R B Rajaa walked up to the Speaker’s chair and demanded the removal of the comment from records. As ministers appealed to the Speaker to take action against Rajaa for breach of decorum, the DMK staged a walkout.