The Hindu : DMK MLA jailed for `breach of privilege'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 08, 2003

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National

DMK MLA jailed for `breach of privilege'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI NOV. 7. The DMK MLA and former Tamil Nadu Assembly Deputy Speaker, Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, was lodged in the Central Prison here on Friday evening after he was awarded a 30-day simple imprisonment by the Assembly for "breach of privilege".

A resolution, passed by the Assembly amid protests from the Opposition benches, stated that a majority of the members were of the opinion that severe punishment should be given to Mr. Ilamvazhuthi for committing breach of privilege.

(The privilege motion was initiated early this year after Mr. Ilamvazhuthi allegedly held out a "murderous threat" inside the House to D. Kumaradoss, now in the ruling party and erstwhile rebel Congress legislator).

Although the speech and action of Mr. Ilamvazhuthi were "murderous in nature" and deserved the most severe punishment, the resolution stated that he was given simple imprisonment of 30 days as a minimum punishment, considering the dignity of the House.

The Leader of the House, C. Ponnaiyan, who read out the resolution, said that a majority of the members felt that Mr. Ilamvazhuthi's action was unacceptable.

They opined that to enable the members to air their opinions without any threat of intimidation, to prevent such intimidatory speeches and to serve as a lesson for the other members, a severe punishment was required to be handed down to the member.

Even as Mr. Ponnaiyan started reading the resolution, the Opposition DMK members advanced to the well of the House, raising slogans. A few of them tore up the copies of the Privilege Committee report.

Soon after the Speaker announced that breach of privilege issues were going to be taken up, Durai Murugan (DMK), S.R. Balasubramoniyan (Congress) and J. Hemachandran (CPI-M) wanted more time to be given to go through reports of the privilege committee or the matter to be sent back to the committee for reconsideration.

As Mr. Ilamvazhuthi was being taken to the prison, the Opposition MLAs, including M.K. Stalin, staged a road roko outside the Assembly. The police picked them up but at about 7-30 p.m. they released them. The MLAs belonged to the DMK and the PMK.

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