Congress and DMK legislators on Monday staged a walkout from the Puducherry Assembly, to protest the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a Member of Parliament from the Lok Sabha.
Just as the zero hour got over, Congress leader in the house M. Vaithianathan raised the issue of the conviction of Mr. Gandhi by a Surat court in a defamation case, and his subsequent disqualification from Parliament.
BJP legislators led by Home Minister A. Namassivayam opposed the move by the Congress member to raise the issue in the house.
As the BJP MLAs raised an objection, the other Congress member Ramesh Parambath and DMK legislators were on their feet condemning the disqualification of Mr. Gandhi. After a while, Mr. Vaithianathan, along with other members, staged a walkout over the issue.
On a demand by BJP legislator P.M.L. Kalyanasundaram, Speaker R. Selvam expunged the remarks made by Mr. Vaithianathan and other Opposition members on the entire issue. Earlier in the day, Mr. Vaithianathan and Mr. Parambath came to the house wearing black shirt as a mark of protest against Mr Gandhi’s disqualification.
Pradesh Congress Committee fast
Outside the Assembly, the Pradesh Congress Committee organised a day-long fast near Anna Salai on the issue. Former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and PCC chief A. V Subramanian are attending the fast.
