Opposition members create ruckus, walk out on opening day

Chennai: The first day of the brief winter session of the Assembly commenced on a stormy note with  Opposition party members creating ruckus over the duration of the session and staging a noisy walkout.

Immediately after the Question Hour, the Opposition party members,  DMDK, DMK, CPI, CPI (M) and Congress, stood up and demanded the House discuss the duration of the session.

However, Speaker P. Dhanapal declined saying the Assembly Business Advisory Committee (BAC), which comprised members of all  political parties, had decided to hold the session for three days and therefore the question of extending the duration of the session did not arise.

Much to the surprise of the all those in the House, the CPI (M) members displayed placard insisting the session be prolonged beyond three days to discuss people’s problems. Sticking to his stand, the Speaker reminded them that he had to allow discussions on three important issues for the day for which the members had already given notice. “The Assembly rules do not permit discussion on the final decision of the BAC,” he said.

Intervening,  Leader of the House Natham R. Viswanathan remarked that  Opposition members should devote time on discussing people’s issues rather than create uproarious scenes as to disrupt the proceedings.

After frantically failing to convince the Speaker, the members belonging to the DMDK, DMK, Congress, CPI and CPI (M) staged a walkout.

This session is the first for Mr O. Panneerselvam as Chief Minister who occupied the chair that he allotted when he was the Leader of the House.