Jaya flays Speaker on breach of privilege issue

Chennai, Aug 19 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today took exception to Assembly Speaker R Avudaiyappan referring to the privileges committee, a breach of privilege issued against her, for criticising his style of conducting the proceedings in the House.

In a statement here, Ms Jayalalithaa, defending her remarks that she would move the court on the ''violations of rules'' in the assembly, said the ruling DMK was trying to threaten her with the privilege issue as it was afraid that the ''violations'' would be exposed in a court of law.

Wondering whether it was a crime to say that she would move the court on the assembly issue, the AIADMK leader said ''they have raised the privilege issue as if no one can question the authority of the Speaker,'' She said in democracy and rule of law, everybody had the right to move the court but those in power were under the impression that ''they are above the law.'' They thought the state assembly was under their control and they could do anything and get away, she said. As the responsbile Leader of the Opposition, she could not remain as a mute spectator, Ms Jayalalithaa said.

The AIADMK leader alleged that the DMK Government was hoodwinking the people on its poll promises, which included distribution of rice at Rs two per kg, distribution of two acres of free waste lands and waiving of farm loans.

In the pretext of supplying cheap rice, the government was distributing in the Public Distribution System (PDS), inferior quality rice at the rate of Rs two per kg, which was not fit for human consumption.

UNI WS JJ SP MIR RN1951