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House witnesses acrimony over violence

Special Correspondent

Speaker orders eviction of members of the Opposition

CHENNAI: Acrimonious scenes were witnessed in the Assembly on Friday over the violence on the Madras High Court premises, ending in eviction of members of the Opposition.

As soon as the House assembled at 9-30 a.m., the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam sought to raise the issue and demanded adjournment of Question Hour. Speaker R. Avudaiappan did not allow this.

Dissatisfied with the Speaker’s decision, the AIADMK, CPI, CPI(M) and the MDMK staged a walkout. The PMK members, who stayed back, did not resume their seats. As the members did not heed the Speaker’s advice not to interrupt proceedings, Mr. Avudaiappan ordered the marshals to remove them.

Once Question Hour was over, members of the AIADMK, CPI, CPI(M) and the MDMK, who by then had returned to the House, again wanted to raise the matter. After referring to the receipt of notices given by several parties, including the AIADMK, Congress and the PMK, to adjourn the proceedings for debating the issue, the Speaker allowed Public Works and Law Minister Durai Murugan to place a statement under Rule 110.

Even as the Minister started reading out the statement, the Opposition members began protesting. The Speaker said no discussion could be allowed on a statement that was placed in the House under Rule 110.

This did not deter the Opposition members from raising slogans.

After Mr. Durai Murugan completed reading out the statement, they persisted with their demand for debating the matter.

Mr. Avudaiappan stuck to his guns and, finally, ordered their eviction.

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