DMK and Congress legislators staged yet another walkout from the Assembly on Wednesday, after the Speaker refused to allow a debate on the actions and contentions of Governor Banwarilal Purohit in connection with his visits to various districts across the State.
Soon after Question Hour, DMK working president and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin sought to raise the issue, citing an article published in The Hindu on Wednesday, detailing the contentions made by the Raj Bhavan with regard to the Governor’s visits to districts and meetings with officials.
Referring to the Raj Bhavan’s claim that the Governor had “requested Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan and Commissioner of Revenue Administration K. Satyagopal to arrange such a meeting”, Mr. Stalin sought to know whether the Chief Minister was aware of such a development or if it happened without his knowledge.
When Mr. Stalin said he expected a reply from the Chief Minister over the issue, Speaker P. Dhanapal, who also had a copy of The Hindu on his table, said he was aware of the contents of the article and contended that officers facilitating the Governor’s tours was not a major issue but merely a matter of routine, as he was a constitutional authority.
The Speaker said he had allowed the statements made by the DMK leader, but cannot allow any debate on the actions of the Governor. Unconvinced, Mr. Stalin pushed for a reply from the Chief Minister, who refused to oblige.
As the CM remained unforthcoming in delivering an explanation, the DMK MLAs staged a walkout. Congress legislators followed suit.
