CHENNAI: The State Assembly censured DMK president M Karunanidhi on Thursday for attributing remarks to Housing Minister R Vaithilingam, while writing for Murasoli in August last year that were contrary to truth.
The censure followed the recommendation by Privileges Committee of the House.
Deputy Speaker V Jayaraman, the Chairman of the Committee, tabled the report and the House accepted the recommendation to condemn Karunanidhi by voice vote. This created an uproar inside the House, finally leading to the eviction of DMK members.
“Though appropriate punishment should be awarded to Karunanidhi for breaching the privilege of the House by carrying news item with remarks contrary to truth, considering the old age of Karunanidhi, the committee recommends that the House may pass censure on him and warn him that he should not indulge in such wrongdoings hereafter,” the report of the Privileges Committee said.
Stating that even the response of Karunanidhi to the notice issued by the Committee is also deemed to be an act of a breach of privilege and insult to the House, the committee said it had recommended censuring Karunanidhi as that should act as a lesson to others and it should be a deterrent to other members from committing similar faults in future.
The House witnessed noisy scenes for a few minutes, as DMK members protested the censure of their leader and described this as a political vendetta by the ruling AIADMK. They moved to the well of the House raising slogans against the Speaker and some of them squatted in front of the podium of the Chair. They also tore copies of the report which was then strewn around the seats and the Speaker’s podium. After the Speaker’s repeated requests to return to their seats failed, the Speaker ordered en masse eviction of the DMK members. Later, the Speaker also censured Karunanidhi for this.
CPM floor leader A Soundararajan urged the Speaker to allow a debate on the report of the Privileges Committee as it had been tabled in the House. However, the Leader of the House said representatives of all parties in the Committee had expressed their views during the sittings, adding that there was no need for a fresh debate on that. Following this, the CPM members also staged a walk out. However, the CPI members remained in the House while the DMDK members, barring eight disgruntled MLAs, were absent.
‘probe into lake water release’
Chennai: Pressing for a judicial probe into the release of water from Chembarambakkam lake, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday said the inquiry should fix responsibility and compensate the flood-hit residents adequately. “Lakhs of people have lost properties and livelihood in the floods. We need a judicial probe,” said the Dharmapuri MP, adding that `5,000 compensation announced by the government was inadequate.
‘AIADMK govt Soft on Centre’
Chennai: Leftists on Friday charged the AIADMK government with being soft on the Centre on jallikattu and fishermen issues, and demanded a firm stand against the BJP government which, they alleged, was deceiving the people of Tamil Nadu. CPM floor leader A Soundarrajan said the Assembly should adopt a resolution urging the Centre to bring a law to remove bulls from Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.