No confidence voteagainst Speaker

Chennai, Aug 3:A no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition AIADMK today against Speaker R Avudaiappan was rejected by voice vote in the State Assembly after the AIADMK members staged a walkout without participating in the debate.

Soon after the House met in the morning, the Speaker announced he would not chair the proceedings since, the AIADMK had brought a no confidence motion against him and the Assembly was to dicuss the matter.

He asked Deputy Speaker V P Duraisamy to conduct the proceedings.

Moving the motion, Mr M Thambidurai (AIADMK) alleged there was no security for women members in the House.

On July 31, AIADMK woman MLA Bader Sayed was allegedly manhandled by the watch and ward staff, during the eviction of the party MLAs ordered by the Speaker.

Mr Thambidurai said the member raised a privilege issue the next day, but it was disallowed.

The male watch and ward staff manhandled her. Even other women MLAs were dragged out of the House, he claimed.

There was demand for 33 per cent reservation for women in Assemblies and Parliament, only if adequate protection was given to them, they would have come forward to participate in the House proceedings, he said.

Refuting the charge, Leader of the House, K Anbazhagan said AIADMK women MLAs were evicted only by women watch and ward staff.

Intervening, Dr Gayatri Devi (Cong) said she was an eye witness to the incident and only women watch and ward staff evicted them.

They were also treated with due respect.

At this point, AIADMK women MLAs argued with Dr Devi on the issue creating ripples in the House.

Members of the ruling party and its allies supported Dr Devi's contention following which, Deputy Leader of the Opposition O Panneerselvam said the AIADMK was staging a walkout protesting against 'the dictatorial attitude of the Deputy Speaker,' who, he claimed, did not allow the AIADMK members to air their views but allowed repeated interventions from MLAs belonging to the ruling party and its allies.

The AIADMK members walked out shouting slogans against the Chair.

Members belonging to its allies -- the MDMK and the DPI -- followed suit.

Later, the House took up the motion for dicussion and rejected it by voice vote.

UNI