TN Assembly adjourned after adopting condolence resolutions

Chennai, Mar 19 (UNI) The opening day of the budget session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly was today adjourned without transacting any business, after paying condolences to former Assembly Speaker K Rajaram and three others, who died last month.

Soon after the House assembled for the day, Speaker R Avudaiyappan moved the condolence resolutions mourning the death of Mr Rajaram and renowned Evangelist D G S Dinakaran.

Moving the resolution, the Speaker described Mr Rajaram as a senior leader of the Dravidian movement, an ardent follower of Rationalist leader E V R Periyar and said he had served as Speaker of the Assembly with distinction from 1980 to 1985.

Mr Rajaram has served as Secretary of Periyar in his initial days and due to his hardwork won the hearts of Periyar, Anna, ''Kalaignar'' Karunanidhi and MGR.

He had served as a Lok Sabha member for two terms from 1962-67 and from 1967-71 and was elected as MLA in 1971-76, 1980-84, 1985-88 and 1991-96 and served with distinction.

He had also functioned as a special representative of the Tamil Nadu government at New Delhi in 1978-79 and had served as State Minister between 1971-76, 1985-88 and from June 24, 1991 to October ten, 1991, the Speaker said and offered his condolences to the bereaved family.

The House also made obituary references in respect of former members J Hemachandran, who was elected to the House four times, and A L Thangavel, elected from Salem-II in 1996 polls.

After observing a minute's silence as a mark of respect to the four leaders, Mr Avudaiyappan adjourned the House for the day and said it would meet tomorrow at 0930 hrs, when Finance Minister K Anbazhagan would present the State Budget for the year 2008-09.

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