CHENNAI: The AIADMK legislators, who were disallowed from raising the Tasmac case issue, created an uproar in the Assembly on Monday leading to their eviction from the house.
The legislators were locked in an argument with Speaker M Appavu and when permission was not granted for them to raise the Tasmac case issue, they started raising slogans.
Following this, the Speaker ordered the eviction of MLAs who displayed sheets printed with messages relating to the Tasmac case. Along with them, AIADMK MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami also staged a walkout.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had in March alleged that its recent searches in Tasmac offices have revealed "a well-orchestrated scheme" through which distilleries, particularly through bottling units, generated unaccounted cash of over Rs 1,000 crore.
Later, outside the Assembly, Palaniswami said he tried to raise the ED raids in the TASMAC offices but was denied permission by the Speaker.
The AIADMK MLAs came to the House wearing a badge with the question: Andha Thiyagi Yaar? - TASMAC (Who's that martyr - TASMAC) in Tamil.
During the zero hour, Palaniswami raised an issue to which the Speaker refused permission stating that as per the rules of the House, an issue which is pending for disposal in the court cannot be raised. However, Palaniswami said this issue was an important one and that he would not go into the details of the case pending before the court but sought permission only to raise the issue.
Responding, Leader of the House, Duraimurugan read out the rules of the House and that the LoP cannot even mention about the case pending before the House. The Speaker also insisted that. However, the AIADMK MLAs started raising slogans and suddenly drew out printed sheets and displayed them in the House. After this, the Speaker ordered the eviction of the MLAs who displayed the printed sheets.
Later, the Speaker ruled that as per the conventions being followed in Parliament, the members of the Assembly will not be allowed to attend the session by wearing any badge. Hereafter, the members should not wear any badge inside the House. The Speaker also recalled that already the AIADMK MLAs were evicted en masse recently and since many of them today got evicted for the second time, they would be suspended for the rest of the session.
However, Chief Minister MK Stalin requested the Chair not to suspend the evicted AIADMK MLAs for the rest of the session and it would be enough if they are suspended for the rest of the proceedings of the day.