Remarks against AIADMK sparks noisy scene in Assembly

Chennai, July 27: Sparks flew high in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today following a remark from the Treasury bench about the absence of AIADMK leaders when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at Sriperumbudur in May 1991.

AIADMK was the ally of the Congress, when Rajiv was felled by a LTTE suicide bomber while addressing an election meeting on May 21 that year.

The trouble started when Mr Anitha Radhakrishnan (AIADMK), participating in the debate on the Budget, said in the midst of discussions on Noon meal scheme launched by Kamaraj that his party respected Kamaraj and Rajiv Gandhi.

''Those who had hurled abuses and criticised him (Rajiv) when he was alive, have now started praising him,'' he said, setting the tone for an acrimonious debate.

Intervening, Congress Legislature Party leader D Sudarsanam recalled AIADMK's remark after sweeping the 1991 Assembly polls that the party had not won on sympahty wave following Rajiv's killing.

Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasami queered the pitch by stating that none of the AIADMK members attended the ill-fated public meeting addressed by Mr Rajiv Gandhi, raising doubts whether the AIADMK knew in advance that such an incident was going to take place.

''There was no one from AIADMK when his body was lying in a pool of blood and also when Ms Sonia Gandhi came to Chennai airport to take over the body,'' he charged.

''Being an ally, is it not the duty to rush to the spot,'' he asked, prompting shouts of ''Jain commission, Jain commission'' from the Opposition AIADMK bench, leading to noisy scenes.

As the AIADMK members rose in unison to protest the remark, Deputy Speaker V P Duraisamy, on the chair, former Union Minister M Thambidurai said the Minister was misleading the house by providing false information. He said Rajiv's tour was suddenly announced and AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa was campaigning at Krishnagiri at that time.

''Arrangements were made for a joint meeting, but Police officials said providing security would be a problem if two VIPs address the meeting''.

After the incident, Ms Jayalalithaa went to New Delhi to console Ms Sonia, he said and asked what the DMK did at that time.

Intervening, Transport Minister K Ponmudy alleged that citing security concerns, the AIADMK had left Mr Rajiv Gandhi alone, to which Mr Thambidurai said ''who knows that such an incident (Rajiv assassination) will take place''.

The noisy scenes on the issue lasted about 15 minutes, before the Deputy Speaker asked Mr Anitha Radhakrishnan to continue with his speech.

UNI