AIADMK stage walkout in Puducherry assembly

Puducherry, Apr 24: The three-member opposition AIADMK today staged a walkout in the territorial assembly, protesting against the refusal of the government to give a reply to his special mention pertaining to special category state status.

Moving his special mention, Mr Anbazhagan said the territorial administration was pressurising the Centre to confer special category state status upon the Union Territory for the past 20 years and 16 unanimous resolutions adopted in the assembly were forwarded to the Union Government.

Last week, the Chief Minister to his question had assured to press the Centre further and also agreed to take a legislators team to New Delhi, the AIADMK leader said.

He pointed out that when the assemby was in progress, Tourism Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, at a press conference in Yanam, had said that special category state status for Puducherry was not necesssary and if granted, he would not only resign but quit the legislator post and organise agitations against the government.

The Tourism Minister had also said that he would discuss about the issue in the House on May 5, and if necessary he would meet the President, Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, Mr Anbazhagan pointed out.

Stating that a minister opposing the policy decision of the government was against the constitution, Mr Anbazhagan said the minister should make it clear whether he had issuedn such a statement to the press and if so, the Chief Minister should initiate action against him.

Holding a Telugu newspaper clippings in his hand, the AIADMK leader demanded that the business of the House be adjourned for the day to discuss this issue.

Even as Mr Anbazhagan was waiting for a reply from the government's side, Speaker R Radhakrishnan said the member could only present his views during zero hour and could not insist the government for a reply. The speaker then invited CPI member R Viswanathan to move his special mention.

Mr Anbazhagan, who had an argument with the speaker, later staged the walkout along with the other members Om Sakthi Sekhar and Omalingam.

UNI