Tamil Nadu Assembly erupts in ruckus over CM Vijay’s ED remarks; DMK MLAs evicted

Speaker JCD Prabhakar directed the watch and ward staff to evict the DMK MLAs, who were removed from the Assembly by House marshals.

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Ruckus broke out in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday after DMK MLAs reportedly raised slogans and surrounded Speaker JCD Prabhakar's podium, demanding that chief minister C Joseph Vijay's remarks - made on Monday - based on Enforcement Directorate documents be expunged. The Speaker rejected the demand, following which the opposition MLAs continued their protest inside the House.

As the DMK MLAs persisted with sloganeering, law minister defended the chief minister's statement, while Leader of the House Sengottaiyan demanded action against the protesting legislators, PTI news agency reported.

DMK MLAs evicted

Speaker JCD Prabhakar subsequently directed the watch and ward staff to evict the DMK MLAs, who were removed from the Assembly by House marshals.

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CM Vijay on Monday targeted the previous DMK regime over corruption in the state-run liquor retailer TASMAC, detailing findings from the central probe agency Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Displaying the ED documents during his fiery speech, Vijay said former DMK minister V Senthil Balaji and his brother Ashok Kumar were also involved in the corruption under the retail of liquors. “The great achievement of the DMK is the dishonest intention,” an earlier HT report quoted as saying Vijay, who cited the words described by the ED in its document.

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Referring to the report of the Sarkaria Commission which had said that 2.5 per cent corruption in tenders during the term led by the then DMK President M Karunanidhi, Vijay said, “Financial irregularities were done in an organised manner and claimed it is a ‘scientific corruption’ that has taken place in the DMK regime."

Vijay also slammed the DMK that DMK MLAs oppose the TVK government when it speaks about corruption. “But they (DMK) never say that we never indulged in corruption,” the chief minister said.

Responding to criticism by ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the DMK, led by its Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, resorted to protest by sitting in front of the Assembly Speaker asking his permission to speak. As he did not entertain, the leaders later staged a walk-out.

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