Tamil Nadu Assembly witnesses acrimonious exchange between AIADMK and DMK

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed enmasse eviction of DMK MLAs by marshals following an acrimonious exchange between arch rivals AIADMK and DMK over certain remarks made by M K Stalin against Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

Participating in the debate on the second supplementary estimates for this year, DMK Legislative Party Leader Stalin made some remarks against Panneerselvam, drawing strong response from the Treasury benches even as DMK members rallied around their leader.

Later, Housing Minister R Vaithilingam made certain remarks about DMK's first family, which irked the opposition party members.

Members on either sides were seen sparring with each other, even as some of the DMK MLAs, including J Anbazhagan, proceeded near the chair. The MLA was seen making angry remarks at Assembly Secretary A M P Jamaludeen even as his colleagues tried to pacify him.

With the Speaker's call to maintain decorum failing to yield any results, he summoned the marshals and ordered the enmasse eviction of DMK legislators.

The Speaker later said that he was 'forced' to resort to such an action as the DMK MLAs tried to bring disrepute to the House due to their behaviour. He said the DMK members seemed to have come to the House with the intention of stalling proceedings and criticised them for trying to gherao the Chair.