The AIADMK and the DMK had a face-off in the Rajya Sabha on Friday after the former raised the issue of construction of check dams by Andhra Pradesh on the Palar river flowing into the State.
When Vijila Sathyanath (AIADMK) rose to speak on her Zero Hour mention, DMK members led by Tiruchi Siva and Kanimozhi objected to it saying she should not be allowed to raise the matter as their notices on the same issue were disallowed earlier. The AIADMK members were immediately on their feet to support their party colleague, with senior member A. Navaneethakrishnan even walking up to the Chair demanding that Ms. Sathyanath be allowed to complete her submission.
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said the Chairman had allowed her Zero Hour mention and so she had been permitted to speak. Amid protests from DMK members, she said Andhra Pradesh had constructed check dams on the river without the permission of Tamil Nadu. Mr. Siva said he had given a special mention notice on Thursday on the Cauvery management board but it was disallowed on the grounds that the issue had already been raised in the House in the current session.
He said he had raised the issue of check dams on the Palar through a Zero Hour mention which was also not allowed. So the same rule should apply to the AIADMK member’s notice, he said. “My notice was not accepted,” the DMK member said, as his AIADMK counterparts protested vociferously.
At one time, Mr. Kurien even warned of action against Ms. Sathyanath for unruly behaviour after she had completed her three-minute submission.
“Vijila, I will take action against you. Don’t do like this,” he said.
To Mr. Siva, Mr. Kurien said it is the prerogative of the Chairman to allow an issue to be raised. “You cannot comment on the decision of the Chairman.”
