The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : BJP stages walkout

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 04, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

BJP stages walkout

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 3. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs today staged a walkout from the Assembly protesting against what they called denial of adequate opportunity to one of their colleagues, H. Raja, to express his views in the House.

Participating in the debate on motion of thanks to the Governor's address, Mr. Raja while referring to the Government's cash assistance of Rs. 5 lakhs to the wife of the manager of the Varadarajaperumal temple in Kancheepuram, who was murdered in the temple complex, said the wife of the Gummidipoondi MLA, K. Sudarsanam, who was shot dead by dacoits on January 9, was given only Rs. 1 lakh.

If the administration had maintained parity in both cases, he would accept the Government's contention that all were equal before law.

At this stage, the Speaker, K. Kalimuthu, told Mr. Raja to wind up his speech and called the Republican Party of India MLA, C.K. Tamilarasan, to speak.

But Mr. Raja insisted that he be allowed to continue. The BJP leader, K.N. Lakhshmanan, supported him. But the Speaker declined, saying Mr. Lakshmanan give his party's views tomorrow.

Protesting against the Speaker's decision, Mr. Raja and the other four BJP MLAs walked out of the Assembly. They also abstained from the rest of the proceedings.

Mr. Lakshmanan said the party MLAs would participate in the Assembly proceedings tomorrow.

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