Sparks flew as the AIADMK and the DMK members indulged in verbal duel at the Corporation Council meet here on Friday.
The Corporation Council met with Mayor Savitri Gopal in the chair in the presence of Commissioner T.Kumar, City Engineer Srinivasan and other officials. Soon after the administration of the customary pledge against untouchability, the AIADMK Councillor Jinnah urged the officials to clean up the drinking water near the Corporation complex to which the Mayor promised prompt action.
Following this, Sadasivam of the DMK alleged that in several areas in the city, the overhead water tanks were not being cleaned properly and the streets were filled with polythene bag garbage. Ms. Savitri Gopal asked the Councillor to bring such instances to the notice of the Corporation officials so that immediate action could be taken. When the AIADMK members sought to glorify the achievements of the State government and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the DMK Councillor and Party Town Secretary T.K.G. Neelamegam remarked that the Corporation Council meetings have been reduced to mere glorification meets for the former Chief Minister, bringing down the reputation of the house.
This prompted a sharp response from the ruling party members who said that they were only praising the contribution of the government and there was nothing improper about that. The AIADMK councillors retorted that the DMK too had heaped praised on their leadership during their stint.
Mr.Neelamegam contended that the DMK had been the ruling party in the past at the State and had eminent personalities from its ranks adorning the chair of the council. It had referred to their contribution only with relation to the works concerning the Council or the town. Instead of discussing people's issues, the AIADMK councillors were blindly praising their leader and in doing so converting the forum into a party arena. That was deplorable, he alleged inviting shouts and cat calls from the ruling party members.
The AIADMK and the DMK members then traded charges and counter charges on who did the most for the Thanjavur people and all their allegations drained in the resultant din.
