CHENNAI: The Kodanadu murder-robbery case rocked the State Assembly on Wednesday. While the remarks of the Leader of the Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami on the issue were fully expunged by Speaker M Appavu, Chief Minister MK Stalin denied any political motive behind the ongoing investigation into the Kodanadu case and said the investigation was being conducted on the basis of a court order.
Eventually, the AIADMK MLAs, led by Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, staged a walkout, condemning the government for re-investigating the case and later announced that they would be boycotting the proceedings of the House on Wednesday and Thursday.
As the House began its business, Palaniswami raised an issue and spoke for a minute. The Speaker expunged all his remarks as the AIADMK MLAs pulled out a long white sheet with the statement: “We condemn the DMK government which foists the case”. Later, they staged a walkout and were seen raising slogans in the lobby of the House too. The Speaker ordered the marshals to remove them immediately.
In the House, the Chief Minister said: “The reaction of the Leader of the Opposition to the ongoing investigation in Kodanadu case was uncalled for. But I have the duty to respond to him. One of the electoral promises of the DMK is to bring to the book the culprits behind the Kodanadu robbery and murder case. The midnight robbery at Kodanadu, deaths, accidents etc. had raise serious doubts among the public at that time itself.”
The Chief Minister further said that the investigation was being done only after getting permission from the court and there was no political motive or intention to take revenge. Referring to BJP floor leader Nainar Nagendran’s statement that the new probe had caused ‘fears’, the Chief Minister said that only guilty persons needed to fear the investigation. “In the Kodanadu case, the DMK government will establish the rule of law. The Leader of the Opposition has unnecessarily maligned the ongoing investigation,” Stalin added.
The Speaker said Palaniswami did not get any prior permission for raising this issue in the House and that the AIADMK MLAs displayed sheets of papers and raised slogans. He also condemned Palaniswami’s act. Later, the AIADMK MLAs, including Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, squatted in front the steps of the Kalaivanar Arangam building, where the Assembly is functioning now, and raised slogans against the government for a few minutes. Panneerselvam announced that the AIADMK is boycotting the Assembly proceedings on Wednesday and Thursday.
Talking to reporters, Palaniswami said, “The DMK had made 505 electoral promises and is not able to fulfill them now. To cover up this failure, the DMK government is enacting a probe drama to divert the people’s attention.”
“The Kodanad case probe had reached final stage and the Ooty Sessions Court had ordered that all accused persons should be produced before it on August 27. In this situation, recording the accused Sayan’s statement is an attempt to implicate me and other AIADMK leaders. Advocates affiliated to the DMK are also helping the persons accused in Kodanad case to get bail in other cases,” the former chief minister alleged.
Members of the PMK and BJP, allies of the AIADMK, also staged a walkout in support of the Dravidian major, but did not boycott the session. Palaniswami and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam are scheduled to meet Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday.