Glowing tributes to Palanivel Rajan

Chennai, May 25: The Tamil Nadu Assembly today paid glowing tributes to former Assembly Speaker and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P T R Palanivel Rajan, who died of heart attack on May 20.

The House passed a condolence motion and observed silence for two minutes as a mark of respect to the late leader.

The House also made obituary references on the passing away of 12 former legislators, including three-time MLA T Swamikkannu.

Assembly Speaker R Avudaiyappan later adjourned the House for the day without the transaction of any business.

Earlier, moving the condolence motion, Leader of the House K Anbazhagan said PTR was a great human being who hailed from a traditional family.

He was elected to the Legislative Assembly during 1967-71 and 1971-76 and became a member of the Legislative Council during 1984-86. During his tenure as the Speaker of the 11th Legislative Assembly, he conducted the House in an impartial manner, he said.

Deputy Leader of Opposition K A Sengottaiyan, Congress Legislature Party leader D Sudharsanam, PMK floor leader G K Mani, Mr Nanmaran (CPI-M), V Sivapunniyam (CPI), M Kannappan (MDMK) and K Selvam (DPI) also paid tributes to PTR.

UNI