Tuesday, Apr 30, 2002
Tuesday, Apr 30, 2002 |
| Southern States | ||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Southern States
-
Tamil Nadu
By Our Special Correspondent
The decision was taken at a meeting here this morning. It condemned the ``denial of democratic rights to the Opposition, especially the DMK,'' in the Assembly, and the act of the Speaker, K. Kalimuthu, in suspending Mr. Ilamvazhuthi. However, ``the boycott is only for today's session,'' the president, M. Karunanidhi, told presspersons. Referring to the April 26 incidents, which led to the suspension, the party said the Social Welfare Minister's speech seemed to indicate that the ruling party had ``schemed'' to belittle Mr. Karunanidhi. The Minister also showed a lack of understanding of the Dravidian ethos. Not only were the DMK members prevented from replying to the charges but Mr. Ilamvazhuthi was also described as ``lowly''. All Opposition parties faced the same situation as the DMK encountered in the House, Mr. Karunanidhi said. The Opposition should be given a chance to air its views. When the DMK was in power, the four or five AIADMK MLAs in the Assembly used harsh language, during debates. ``You know that we did not behave like this (the AIADMK) then,'' he said. In the Assembly, the CJP member, B. Ranganathan, who won on DMK symbol, raised the issue of Mr. Ilamvazhuthi expulsion and requested the Speaker, to reconsider the decision. The Speaker asked him not to press for it. On a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, the DMK chief said he had stated the party would think over it. Today's meeting was a move in that direction. On the MDMK describing the DMK's neutral stand in the Assembly on the LTTE issue as a `regrettable historical blunder', Mr. Karunanidhi said it had to be taken after the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Just as the suggestion to send the Indian Army to Sri Lanka was a mistake, the lack of regret the assassination was also a mistake.
``We are only capable of this much.'' Others, who were very brave, could do more, he said. Mr. Karunanidhi did not foresee any problem in the stability of the NDA Government.
The DMK respected the sentiments behind the Opposition censure motion on the Gujarat issue but the decision (for a vote) was unnecessary, he said. The NDA differences on the Gujarat issue could not be interpreted as discord within the alliance.
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | Home |
Copyright © 2002, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|