NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, OCT 18
Tamil Nadu’s Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami and his AIADMK legislators were evicted from the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday for disrupting the House proceedings by causing commotion aiming to coerce Speaker M Appavu to take up an issue concerning their party.
Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who heads the rival AIADMK faction, remained calmly seated next to Palaniswami when the latter along with his supporters created a ruckus.
Disallowing any discussion during the Question Hour meant to raise only people’s issues, the Speaker assured to give Palaniswami an opportunity to raise the subject. However, the Opposition leader remained firm. A visibly annoyed Speaker requested the AIADMK members to resume their chairs and reiterated that he would give them an opportunity to speak. “I will not compromise in allowing a discussion during the Question Hour. I understand you all have come with the intention to disrupt the proceedings. This is not good,” Appavu said.
When the AIADMK members remained standing and demanded the issue be taken up, the Speaker warned the members against stalling the House proceedings and said they were free to stage a walkout if they wished. Not a single word they had uttered would enter the Assembly records, he warned. “Stalling the proceedings and shouting is anti-democratic,” he said while appealing to them to allow the agenda for the day to be taken up.
