DMK members were evicted from the Assembly after they entered into an argument with Speaker P. Dhanapal, demanding expunction of remarks made by AIADMK member G.V. Markandeyan against DMK leader M. Karunanidhi.
A DMK MLA S.S. Sivasankar was suspended from the House for the rest of the session for tearing the copy of the Governor’s address.
The trouble started when Mr. Markandeyan accused Mr. Karunanidhi of enacting a farcical drama involving his two sons M.K. Stalin and M.K. Alagiri. He said instead of going to police to file a complaint against Mr. Alagiri, who, according to him, had entered his [Karunanidhi’s] bedroom, he revealed everything to the media.
His remarks evoked a strong protest from the DMK members, who demanded expunction of the remarks as they had nothing to do with the debate on the Governor’s address.
They rushed towards the Chair and entered into an argument with Mr. Dhanapal, who promised to look into the speech made by Mr. Markandeyan.
Finance Minister O.Panneerselvam, who is also leader of the House, however, said there was nothing objectionable in Mr. Markandeyan’s speech.
As the argument continued, the Speaker first evicted DMK member J. Anbazhagan, as he addressed him in a “threatening tone.”
He then allowed DMK Deputy leader Duraimurugan to express his views, but subsequently ordered expunction of his remarks.
Municipal Administration Minister K.P. Munusamy said there was no need to expunge Mr. Markandeyan’s remarks since Mr. Karunanidhi’s allegations had already reached Tamils all over the world. “Let them also be on Assembly records,” he said.
When the Speaker ordered expunction of Mr Duraimurugan’s remarks, the DMK members continued with their protest. At one point DMK member S.S. Sivasankar tore the copy of the Governor’s address. All the DMK members were evicted on a direction from the Speaker. Later, Mr. Panneerselvam moved a resolution seeking suspension of Mr. Sivasankar from the House for the rest of the session.
