The DMK on Friday boycotted the replies of ministers to the debate for the demand for grants after Speaker P. Dhanapal refused to expunge a remark made by AIADMK MLA C.V. Rajendran.
When Deputy Speaker Pollachi V. Jayaraman was presiding over the House, Mr. Rajendran made certain remarks about the DMK in his speech to which the DMK members protested. During the melee, the Speaker returned to his Chair.
Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin requested Mr. Dhanapal to expunge the remarks. The Speaker said since he was not in the House when the remarks were made, he would first look at the transcript.
Mr. Stalin said, “AIADMK members are repeatedly making unnecessary remarks. They are provoking us so that we will respond and you expunge our remarks. If you expunge AIADMK MLAs’ and ministers’ remarks as well, we would welcome that. But you usually say you will read the transcript and give a decision; but you don’t do anything,” he told the Speaker.
Mr. Dhanapal said he wanted to conduct the Assembly in a congenial atmosphere. “But I can’t expunge remarks based on your protest. Since I was not in the House when the remarks were made, I will look at it and give a decision.”
When Minister for Information and Publicity Kadambur Raju began his reply, the DMK once again protested. The Speaker then sought the transcript and after studying it, said there was nothing wrong in it.
