The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `Betrayal of voters'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`Betrayal of voters'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH 29. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today flayed Democratic Progressive Alliance MLAs for their decision to boycott the Assembly till April 1, dubbing it betrayal of their voters.

Shortly after making a suo motu statement in the Assembly on providing pension to construction workers, she said the Opposition MLAs [belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Congress, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Communist Party of India (CPI)] were showing disregard for people in their constituencies. "It is certain that people will reject them in the Assembly elections slated for next year."

Referring to the remark made by M. Appavu (Independent) that the Opposition MLAs were evicted yesterday, she said the Speaker did not order their eviction for the whole day, though action was taken against them for disrupting the proceedings. The members could have returned to the House and participated in the rest of the proceedings had they wanted to. Instead, they held a meeting outside and announced their boycott decision.

Ms. Jayalalithaa also referred to the series of suo motu statements she made on construction workers' pension, revised minimum wages for 86 lakh farm workers and supply of free textbooks for school children up to Standard X. The concessions announced benefited lakhs of people, she said.

Even as the beneficiaries appreciated the Government's gesture, the Opposition members were resentful. The concessions and assistance would benefit the people in their constituencies too, she said. These legislators would incur the wrath of locals if they attempted to stall the benefits.

Rejoinder to SRB

On the Congress Legislature Party leader, S.R. Balasubramoniyan's objection to her making statements under Rule 110 of the Assembly Rules, Ms. Jayalalithaa said though he raised a hue and cry for 30 minutes and tried to prevent her from presenting the statement on revision of minimum wages to farm workers, the member did not advance any useful demand for his constituency.

Recalling her campaign for Mr. Balasubramoniyan in the 2001 Assembly poll, which the Congress contested in alliance with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the CLP leader had forgotten the dictum that there was scope for deliverance from any sin but not from ungratefulness.

She criticised the communist MLAs for not hailing her decision to hike the minimum wages for farm hands. The Opposition MLAs, instead of feeling happy over the administration's gesture, became envious, she said.

Though the DMK members had no option but to abide by the party leadership's decision, why should the Congress, PMK and Communist MLAs go against their conscience and undo their own acts by boycotting the Assembly? The real losers were the people who had elected them, Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

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