CHENNAI: AIADMK MLAs and cadre, led by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, were arrested by the city police and taken to Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore, Chennai, on Wednesday for staging a protest though the police’s denied permission for the token fast they announced on Tuesday. The AIADMK members were detained and taken to the stadium on a bus, and later released in the evening.
The MLAs boycotted the last day of the three-day Assembly session on Wednesday, demanding that the Speaker accept RB Udayakumar as the deputy floor leader instead of former chief minister O Panneerselvam. The party members gathered at Valluvarkottam to stage a fast, and raised slogans against the DMK.
Among the AIADMK leaders arrested were Palaniswami, SP Velumani and D Jayakumar. They and other party members were on a fast in the stadium, and broke it being being let off by the police. Speaking to reporters at the stadium, Palaniswami alleged democracy was being murdered and Chief Minister MK Stalin was trying to demolish the AIADMK through Panneerselvam.
He raised his voice at the police when they objected to him speaking to the media. He then had to hold back the AIADMK members as they began to yell at the police. After the brief interruption, he declared that the protest would continue until the Speaker made Udayakumar sit in the Assembly in place of Panneerselvam.
Meanwhile, former AIADMK MLA and Legal Advisory Committee member IS Inbadurai submitted a petition to the State Human Rights Commission saying the AIADMK men were “illegally taken in a bus and dumped” in the stadium and were unlawfully detained. Advocates were not allowed to see Palaniswami and other MLAs at the stadium, and basic amenities such as drinking water and toilets were not provided, he said, adding that this is a violation of human rights.
In a statement released by Palaniswamy in the evening, he thanked the AIADMK members across the State for supporting the party by staging protests against the arrest of AIADMK cadre. “I bow in gratitude before the party cadre and supporters from Chennai to Kanyakumari who exposed the true colours of the dictatorial DMK government,” he said.