AIADMK member suspended for 'insulting' Speaker

Chennai, Oct 19 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Assembly today suspended AIADMK member A K Bose for the first ten days of the next Assembly session for ''insulting'' the Speaker by hurling a hat at him yesterday.

Moving the resolution, the Leader of the House and Finance Minister K Anbazhagan said though this was a serious offence that called for permanent disqualification, he was awarding the minimum punishment in deference to the suggestion made by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

During the suspension period, Mr Bose would stand to lose all benefits, including the monetary benefit.

Mr Bose, while being evicted from the House, removed the hat of one of the marshals and flung it at the Speaker, protesting against the privilege motion against AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa.

Following demands from various parties seeking exemplary punishment for insulting the Chair, Mr Anbazhagan said removing the hat of a policeman was a bigger offence than throwing it at the Speaker, which amounted to attack on police.

Insulting the post of the Speaker was equal to insulting the House and Mr Bose, by indulging in such an act, had failed to be a qualified Member of the House.

Mr Anbazhagan said initially, they were planning to suspend him for six months, but based on the Chief Minister's appeal, it was restricted to the first ten days of the next Assembly session (likely to be convened in January next year).

The resolution was passed by voice vote.

UNI