Calling Jaya by name creates tension in TN Assembly

Chennai, Apr 16 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes when a member of the ruling DMK referred to AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa by name, triggering noisy protests from the Opposition AIADMK.

Speaking on the demand for grants for Rural Development, Mr Rajan (DMK) called to Ms Jayalalithaa by name and said she had asked Mr M K Stalin, the then Mayor of Chennai and MLA, to quit one of the posts under the one-man-one-post rule brought in by her Government.

This triggered loud protests from the Opposition and AIADMK whip K A Sengottaiyan said names of leaders should not be mentioned while speaking in the House and demanded that it be expunged.

As the AIADMK stuck to its demand, Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy and PWD Minister Duraimurugan intervened and recalled how the Ministers during the previous AIADMK regime had referred to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who was in the Opposition then, by name several times.

Deputy Speaker V P Duraisamy, who was in the Chair, said since Mr Rajan had not uttered any unparliamentary word, it need not be expunged. He said he had advised the member to refrain from referring to leaders by name.

The AIADMK members were on their feet and urged the Chair to expunge it.

Intervening, CLP Leader D Sudarsanam said Mr Karunanidhi had magnanimously informed the House on an earlier occasion to avoid calling leaders by name and based on it, the remarks of Mr Rajan should be expunged.

However, the AIADMK did not press the issue further when Mr Rajan said since there were two Chief Ministers during the previous AIADMK regime, he was forced to mention the name of Ms Jayalalithaa as the other former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, now the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, should not mistake it.

The House witnessed noisy scenes again for a while following a remark made by Mr Duraimurugan adding an adjective to the post of Whip. Following objections from the AIADMK, Speaker R Avudaiyappan expunged it.

When Congress whip Peter Alphonse expressed concern about it, Mr Karunanidhi sought to put an end to the issue by stating in a lighter vein that there was no need for Mr Alphonse to worry about the post of Whip as he (Mr Karunanidhi) had served as Whip when late Chief Minister C N Annadurai was in the Opposition, triggering peels of laughter.

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