Uproar in House; Speaker suspends AIADMK member

Channai, Aug 12 (UNI) Pandemonium broke out in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, resulting in the en masse eviction of opposition AIADMK members, who staged a road roko in front of the secretariat, even as Speaker R Avudaiyappan suspended a AIADMK member for the rest of the budget session for using abusive language in the House.

The proceedings, which began on a calm note with AIADMK initiating debate on the demand for grants for labour department, suddenly turned ugly when members of the AIADMK and treasury benches, setting the stage for ''fisti-cuffs'' after a wordy duel.

The trouble arose when Mr Agri S S Krishnamurthy (AIADMK) and Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi were seen making angry gesticulations against each other after the AIADMK members accused the treasury benches of instigating its allies to snub the AIADMK in the House.

Even as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and senior Minister Arcot N Veerasamy were trying to persuade their members to remain calm, Mr Ponmudi, at the provocation of Mr Krishnamurthy, used an abusive language against him, triggering uprorious scenes in the house.

As the AIADMK members were on their feet and vociforously protested against Mr Ponmudi, former AIADMK Ministers R Vaithilingam, C Durairaj and Pollachi V Jayaraman, who were seated on the back row, rushed to the well of the house, forcing the Speaker to order their eviction from the house.

After leaving the House, ignoring an appeal by the Chair to join the proceedings as requested by Mr Karunanidhi, the AIADMK members staged a road block, bringing traffic to a halt on the Kamaraj Road in front of the secretariat.

More UNI WS LS BST1331