Amid acrimonious scenes, opposition parties, including the AIADMK and the Left, today disrupted the Governor’s customary address in the first session of the year and were evicted en masse from the Assembly.
As Governor Surjit Singh Barnala was about to start his address, Deputy leader of the AIADMK legislature O Paneerselvam rose and started reading out a written statement, slamming the DMK on many issues, including corruption.
While the Governor remained silent, Opposition members started raising slogans against the DMK government as soon as Mr. Paneerselvam finished reading the statement.
The AIADMK members then proceeded to the well and started raising slogans, disrupting the Governor’s address.
Speaker R Avudaiyappan immediately summoned the marshals and asked them to evict the opposition members, comprising AIADMK, CPI, CPI(M) and MDMK. AIADMK members also raised slogans on the 2G spectrum scam.
High drama prevailed for a few minutes when AIADMK members, along with other opposition members arrived dressed in black outfits and resisted the marshals, resulting in chaos.
While some AIADMK members were physically removed by the marshals, others were escorted outside.
CPI(M) floor leader Balabharati was also among those who were physically removed by women marshals.
Earlier, some AIADMK members came to the assembly wearing garlands made out of vegetables to symbolically protest the soaring prices of vegetables.
