03-07-2005, 10:47 PM
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald...005/n2.asp
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Bedlam in TN House, DMK men evicted
Former Deputy Speaker Parithi Ilamvazhuthi (DMK) wondered whether it was the Speaker or the chief minister who ran the House, which resulted in his eviction.
FROM S MURARI
DH NEWS SERVICE CHENNAI:
The Opposition DMK members, barring deputy leader Durai Murugan, were evicted from the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday after they accused Speaker K Kalimuthu of partisanship during a heated debate on chief minister J Jayalalithaâs charge that the army refused to remove bodies during rescue and relief operations in tsunami-hit coastal areas of the state.
Mr Durai Murugan, who was on his feet wrangling with the Chair even as marshals removed his partymen, including youth wing leader M K Stalin, for obstructing proceedings, walked out after he was declined permission to speak. Leader of the Opposition K Anbazhagan was not in the House at that time.
The PMK walked out in protest after the Speaker rejected its leader G K Maniâs plea to reconsider the decision and allow the DMK men into the House to participate in the budget debate.
Chief Minister J Jayalalitha rejected CPM leader J Hemachandranâs suggestion that the Speaker follow the practice in Parliament, adjourn the House and hold discussions with representatives of all parties to find a way out. She said the Centre could allow Parliament proceedings to be stalled for days on end as it was not directly answerable to the people unlike state governments.
Ms Jayalalitha said DMK leader M Karunanidhi had not been attending the House at all while Mr Anbazhagan was staying away most often. Even Mr Karunanidhiâs son Stalin remained a mute spectator to the unruly behaviour of his partymen. âWe saw how that forced Durai Murugan to walk out (after their eviction),â she said amid loud thumping of desks by ruling AIADMK men. She said they had to be evicted as their own leaders were not able to control them.
The evicted members raised slogans against the Speaker, forcing the Chair to order that the lobby be cleared.
The immediate provocation for the DMK menâs protest was the Speakerâs action in accepting Ms Jayalalithaâs suggestion that Mr Durai Muruganâs remark against the IPKF be allowed to go on record âso that they will stand exposedâ.
Ms Jayalalitha said she had the highest regard for the army unlike the DMK which boycotted the IPKF on its return from Sri Lanka in March 1990. Mr Durai Murugan justified the boycott by the then chief minister M Karunanidhi, on the ground that he could not receive an army that raped Tamil women and killed innocent civilians.
The Speaker, who expunged the remarks, restored it on Ms Jayalalithaâs suggestion. Agitated by this, leading DMK member and former Deputy Speaker Parithi Ilamvazhuthi asked who was running the House, the Speaker or the chief minister. The Speaker promptly named him for casting aspersions on the Chair and called in marshals to remove him.
Other DMK members surrounded him to prevent eviction. The Speaker then named all those obstructing the House and they were evicted en masse.
Trouble started when Mr M A Vaithialingam referred to the armyâs denial of the charge made by Ms Jayalalitha that it refused to remove the dead during rescue and relief operations.
The Speaker did not allow his remarks to go on record on the ground that the DMK was trying to bring the issue into focus after he had disallowed a privilege motion given notice of by it.
Ms Jayalalitha, however, stuck to her charge that the army refused to remove bodies. She cited the report of the Relief Commissioner that the army had taken the stand that removal of bodies was not its responsibility. Conservancy staff were then entailed for the job.
When Mr Durai Murugan referred to the denial by Major Gen Paramjit Singh, finance minister C Ponnaiyan said Cuddallore collector too had said that when the army found a body in a bush, it refused to remove it.
Standing by her accusation, Ms Jayalalitha said âI do not want to enter into a running battle with the army and have a debateâ as it would belittle the armed forces in the eyes of the public.
She said she had the highest regard for the armed forces. In this connection, she referred to the boycott of the IPKF when it returned from Sri Lanka in March 1990 by the then chief minister M Karunanidhi.
Mr Shekhar Babu (AIADMK), who was called to speak on the debate, sought to elaborate on this point, leading to uproarious scenes. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Bedlam in TN House, DMK men evicted
Former Deputy Speaker Parithi Ilamvazhuthi (DMK) wondered whether it was the Speaker or the chief minister who ran the House, which resulted in his eviction.
FROM S MURARI
DH NEWS SERVICE CHENNAI:
The Opposition DMK members, barring deputy leader Durai Murugan, were evicted from the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday after they accused Speaker K Kalimuthu of partisanship during a heated debate on chief minister J Jayalalithaâs charge that the army refused to remove bodies during rescue and relief operations in tsunami-hit coastal areas of the state.
Mr Durai Murugan, who was on his feet wrangling with the Chair even as marshals removed his partymen, including youth wing leader M K Stalin, for obstructing proceedings, walked out after he was declined permission to speak. Leader of the Opposition K Anbazhagan was not in the House at that time.
The PMK walked out in protest after the Speaker rejected its leader G K Maniâs plea to reconsider the decision and allow the DMK men into the House to participate in the budget debate.
Chief Minister J Jayalalitha rejected CPM leader J Hemachandranâs suggestion that the Speaker follow the practice in Parliament, adjourn the House and hold discussions with representatives of all parties to find a way out. She said the Centre could allow Parliament proceedings to be stalled for days on end as it was not directly answerable to the people unlike state governments.
Ms Jayalalitha said DMK leader M Karunanidhi had not been attending the House at all while Mr Anbazhagan was staying away most often. Even Mr Karunanidhiâs son Stalin remained a mute spectator to the unruly behaviour of his partymen. âWe saw how that forced Durai Murugan to walk out (after their eviction),â she said amid loud thumping of desks by ruling AIADMK men. She said they had to be evicted as their own leaders were not able to control them.
The evicted members raised slogans against the Speaker, forcing the Chair to order that the lobby be cleared.
The immediate provocation for the DMK menâs protest was the Speakerâs action in accepting Ms Jayalalithaâs suggestion that Mr Durai Muruganâs remark against the IPKF be allowed to go on record âso that they will stand exposedâ.
Ms Jayalalitha said she had the highest regard for the army unlike the DMK which boycotted the IPKF on its return from Sri Lanka in March 1990. Mr Durai Murugan justified the boycott by the then chief minister M Karunanidhi, on the ground that he could not receive an army that raped Tamil women and killed innocent civilians.
The Speaker, who expunged the remarks, restored it on Ms Jayalalithaâs suggestion. Agitated by this, leading DMK member and former Deputy Speaker Parithi Ilamvazhuthi asked who was running the House, the Speaker or the chief minister. The Speaker promptly named him for casting aspersions on the Chair and called in marshals to remove him.
Other DMK members surrounded him to prevent eviction. The Speaker then named all those obstructing the House and they were evicted en masse.
Trouble started when Mr M A Vaithialingam referred to the armyâs denial of the charge made by Ms Jayalalitha that it refused to remove the dead during rescue and relief operations.
The Speaker did not allow his remarks to go on record on the ground that the DMK was trying to bring the issue into focus after he had disallowed a privilege motion given notice of by it.
Ms Jayalalitha, however, stuck to her charge that the army refused to remove bodies. She cited the report of the Relief Commissioner that the army had taken the stand that removal of bodies was not its responsibility. Conservancy staff were then entailed for the job.
When Mr Durai Murugan referred to the denial by Major Gen Paramjit Singh, finance minister C Ponnaiyan said Cuddallore collector too had said that when the army found a body in a bush, it refused to remove it.
Standing by her accusation, Ms Jayalalitha said âI do not want to enter into a running battle with the army and have a debateâ as it would belittle the armed forces in the eyes of the public.
She said she had the highest regard for the armed forces. In this connection, she referred to the boycott of the IPKF when it returned from Sri Lanka in March 1990 by the then chief minister M Karunanidhi.
Mr Shekhar Babu (AIADMK), who was called to speak on the debate, sought to elaborate on this point, leading to uproarious scenes. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->