The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Heated exchanges over approach to police

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Heated exchanges over approach to police

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH 15. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Congress today staged a walkout from the Assembly following heated exchanges over the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's remark that there was "nothing strange" in the main Opposition attacking police officers.

Intervening in the debate on the police demands, she referred to the claim that a police officer, who was allegedly manhandled by the DMK member, M.K. Stalin, after a road roko by the Opposition MLAs here on March 9, did not lodge a complaint.

In such cases, there was no need to immediately lodge a complaint. The officer might have hesitated to do so as Mr. Stalin is the son of the former Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, besides wielding influence at the Centre. As the three police officers, involved in the arrest of Mr. Karunanidhi in 2001, were transferred to far off places at the instance of the DMK, he might have apprehended a similar fate, Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

It was the practice of DMK men to shower abuses on the police, besides attacking the uniformed personnel whenever action was taken against them, Ms. Jayalalithaa said. She accused the then Union Minister, Murasoli Maran, and the Minister for Shipping and Surface Transport, T.R. Baalu, of having attacked police following Mr. Karunanidhi's arrest.

But the police were treated with dignity under the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule. She pardoned the IAS and IPS officers who stood witness in the cases "foisted on her" during the previous rule. They were given important responsibilities, besides being selected for awards, Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

Remarks expunged

Though the DMK legislature party deputy leader, Durai Murugan, and his colleague, Arcot N. Veerasamy, tried to express their views on the issue, the Speaker, K. Kalimuthu, expunged their remarks.

As the DMK members were on their feet protesting against the Speaker's decision, the Treasury Benches raised their voice against the DMK. Mr. Kalimuthu ordered the eviction of Mr. Durai Murugan, Ila. Pugazhendi and Parithi Ilamvazhuthi on the ground they lowered the dignity of the House, besides disrupting the proceedings.

The Speaker did not heed the request of the Congress Legislature Party leader, S.R. Balasubramoniyan, to restore the remarks made by the DMK members on the ground that he had retained the Chief Minister's charge.

Though the Speaker invited the Chief Minister to present her reply to the debate, the DMK members continued to protest. Just as the Speaker ordered their eviction, they staged a walkout.

Mr. Kalimuthu asked the DMK member, M.P. Swaminathan, not to return to the House until the current session concluded, as he had used "objectionable remarks and disrupted the proceedings."

The Congress members led by Mr. Balasubramoniyan, also staged a walkout.

`Ruling harsh'

Terming the ruling harsh, G.K. Mani, J. Hemachandran and G. Palanichamy, leaders of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India, pleaded with the Speaker to reconsider his decision. Though Mr. Kalimuthu said he did not want to shirk his responsibility to uphold the traditions of the House, he scaled down the punishment to Mr. Swaminathan to five days and later to one day at the Chief Minister's suggestion.

He cautioned the PMK, CPI and CPI (M) leaders not to interfere if the DMK members disrupted the proceedings.

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