The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : AIADMK members evicted from Corporation Council meeting

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

AIADMK members evicted from Corporation Council meeting

Staff Reporter

Councillors oppose Thiagarajan's continuation as the Deputy Mayor DMK floor leader C.V. Malayan conducted the proceedings for nearly an hour.

CHENNAI: In a strange turn of events, the ruling AIADMK councillors were evicted forcibly from the Chennai Corporation council meeting upon the instructions of Deputy Mayor R. Thiagarajan on Tuesday. DMK floor leader C.V. Malayan conducted the proceedings at one point.

Mr. Thiagarajan ordered the eviction of the entire contingent of AIADMK councillors after they raised the issue of his continuation as Deputy Mayor and councillor after missing three consecutive meetings.

AIADMK floor leader V. Sukumar Babu, who raised the issue at the beginning of the meeting, was frequently interrupted by Mr. Thiagarajan. The Deputy Mayor said Mr. Babu had already submitted a letter explaining his party's stand to the Commissioner. At one point, DMK councillor P.V. Kalyanasundaram asked Mr. Thiagarajan to allow the AIADMK floor leader to express his views.

AIADMK protest

When Mr. Thiagarajan cut short Mr. Babu's speech again, some AIADMK councillors stood up to protest. The Deputy Mayor immediately stood up and asked all the councillors to take their seats. Barely a few seconds later, he asked the watch and ward staff to remove the entire contingent of AIADMK councillors. The watch and ward staff forcibly evicted a few councillors while others walked out. Three mikes were damaged in the fracas.

The evicted councillors tore copies of the meeting agenda and flung them at the Deputy Mayor. They later tried to stage a protest by taking to Poonamallee High Road but the police arrested and detained them till evening at a Corporation community hall near Kannapar Thidal.

After the AIADMK members were evicted, the DMK sought Commissioner M.P. Vijayakumar's response to the question of Mr. Thiagarajan continuing in the office.

Mr. Vijayakumar said the Advocate-General's opinion was sought and he had noted that the former Congress councillor, Royapuram R. Mano's petition seeking Mr. Thiagarajan's disqualification was still pending with the Small Causes Court. Till that was disposed of, a statutory stay was in operation and he would continue in office.

"Law of averages"

Mr. Malayan said he felt sorry for the eviction of the AIADMK councillors but added that the law of averages was just catching up with them. "They are experiencing now our feelings over the last three years."

Mr. Thiagarajan left the council hall during the question hour, asking Mr. Malayan to conduct the council. The DMK councillors cheered as their floor leader took the Mayor's chair and conducted the proceedings for nearly an hour.

Jayalalithaa statement

AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa, in a statement issued in the evening, condemned the eviction of her party's councillors and their detention by the police, after they tried to move the resolution against the Deputy Mayor.

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