Uproar in TN house over remark against Jaya

Chennai, Mar 28 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes for a while when members of the oppostion AIADMK rushed to the well of the house, enraged by a remark by a ruling party member against their party supremo J Jayalalithaa.

Participating in the general discussion on the budget for 2007-08, A Rajendran (DMK) made a remark against Ms Jayalalithaa for scrapping a scheme to assist pregnant women, triggering loud protests from the AIADMK members.

Demanding that the 'disparaging' remark be expunged, Sekar Babu and others rushed to the well of the house, while their colleagues stood up and shouted slogans against ruling party members.

Even as a group of AIADMK members, including Deputy Leader of the opposition O Panneerselvam and party whip K A Sengottaiyan were seen in heated arguments with Speaker R Avudaiyappan, former AIADMK Minister C V Shanmugam and others threw copies of the budget papers.

As the house plunged into noisy scenes, leader of the house and Finance Minister K Anbazhagan defused the situation, suggesting that the Speaker expunge the remarks.

After Mr Avudaiyappan expunged the remarks, he warned the AIADMK members against disrupting the proceedings by rushing to the well of the house and shouting.

Quoting Assembly rules, the Speaker said members should behave so as to conduct the house in a dignified manner. He would always give opportunities to Mr Panneerselvam and Mr Sengottaiyan to express their views and seek clarifications.

UNI