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Jayalalithaa’s statement referred to Privileges Committee

Special Correspondent

“She read out only a portion of Supreme Court order favourable to her”
Durai Murugan gives representation to Speaker

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker, R. Avudaiappan, on Friday said that he has referred to the Privileges Committee a matter relating to a remark by Opposition Leader Jayalalithaa earlier in the house.

He told presspersons that Ms. Jayalalithaa had read out only the portion of a Supreme Court order that was favourable to her.

She had done it with a view to diverting the attention of the House and the members and with a motive of creating a wrong impression about Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and, thereby, had misled the House.

PWD and Law Minister Durai Murugan also clarified in the House that the information given by Ms. Jayalalithaa was wrong. After the House rose, Mr. Durai Murugan submitted a report on the matter to him. Since it appeared prima facie that there was a breach of privilege, he had referred the matter to the privileges committee.

Answering questions, Mr. Avudaiappan said Mr. Durai Murugan had given a representation to him. The Speaker said that he had referred the matter suo motu to the privileges committee.

In her speech, Ms.Jayalalithaa had said that Mr. Karunanidhi had misled the House on Supreme Court observations on the POTA issue. She also said that Mr. Karunanidhi’s contention that action could not be taken against those speaking in support of banned terrorist organisations was wrong.

The Director-General of Police had in November 2007 had stated that action would be taken against such people under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Why was theViduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Mr.Thol.Thirumavalavan not arrested under provisions of this Act, she asked.

Mr. Durai Murugan, reading out the portions of rulings of the Supreme Court and the POTA review committee, said Ms Jayalalithaa, in her speech, had cited one sentence that was favourable to her and did not quote the ruling fully.

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