EPS-led party forgets that MGR, Jaya stood for TN rights, says CM Stalin over AIADMK’s walkout

CHENNAI: The principal opposition party AIADMK on Tuesday abstained from a discussion on autonomy in the State Assembly as Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the constitution of a high-level committee to protect State rights and improve Centre-State relations.

Seconds after Chief Minister MK Stalin rose to make the announcement under rule 110 in the House, AIADMK legislators led by its deputy legislature party leader RB Udhayakumar insisted that Speaker M Appavu must allow them to raise an issue. When the Chair clarified that the CM was making an announcement under rule 110 and it would take precedence over their request, the unrelenting AIADMK MLAs stood their ground, and exited the House in protest, unusually quickly. Wary of the empty AIADMK seats in the House and the BJP's exit in opposition to the CM's announcement, Congress MLA K Selvaperunthagai told the House that two parties have opposed the CM's landmark announcement. “Those who are opposed to the welfare of people are out of the House. Another has walked out in protest of the announcement. They can express it if they have a difference of opinion over the high-level committee. But, to not even participate in it showed utter lack of concern,” Selvaperunthagai remarked.

Curiously, AIADMK members were in the lobby of the Assembly when the whole debate unfolded, waiting for the discussion to get over. Taking a cue from his ally, Stalin thanked all those who welcomed the announcement and said, "I am worried that members of the principal opposition party AIADMK have left without participating and expressing their views on the announcement. No matter what kind of differences of opinion existed between the DMK and AIADMK, both during the tenure of MGR and his successor J Jayalalithaa, they fulfilled the demands of the people on the promise that the rights of Tamil Nadu could not be given up.

"Don't know what the situation is today. They (AIADMK) say ideology and alliance are different. They have started saying it now. We are led to wonder if this is their ideology?" Stalin quipped, appealing to the principal opposition party to work in tandem beyond party differences for the rights of Tamil Nadu and its people. Members of AIADMK re-entered the House one by one, seconds after the CM drew curtains on the discussion.

: The principal opposition party AIADMK on Tuesday abstained from a discussion on autonomy in the State Assembly as Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the constitution of a high-level committee to protect State rights and improve Centre-State relations.

Seconds after Chief Minister MK Stalin rose to make the announcement under rule 110 in the House, AIADMK legislators led by its deputy legislature party leader RB Udhayakumar insisted that Speaker M Appavu must allow them to raise an issue. When the Chair clarified that the CM was making an announcement under rule 110 and it would take precedence over their request, the unrelenting AIADMK MLAs stood their ground, and exited the House in protest, unusually quickly. Wary of the empty AIADMK seats in the House and the BJP's exit in opposition to the CM's announcement, Congress MLA K Selvaperunthagai told the House that two parties have opposed the CM's landmark announcement. “Those who are opposed to the welfare of people are out of the House. Another has walked out in protest of the announcement. They can express it if they have a difference of opinion over the high-level committee. But, to not even participate in it showed utter lack of concern,” Selvaperunthagai remarked.

Curiously, AIADMK members were in the lobby of the Assembly when the whole debate unfolded, waiting for the discussion to get over. Taking a cue from his ally, Stalin thanked all those who welcomed the announcement and said, "I am worried that members of the principal opposition party AIADMK have left without participating and expressing their views on the announcement. No matter what kind of differences of opinion existed between the DMK and AIADMK, both during the tenure of MGR and his successor J Jayalalithaa, they fulfilled the demands of the people on the promise that the rights of Tamil Nadu could not be given up.

"Don't know what the situation is today. They (AIADMK) say ideology and alliance are different. They have started saying it now. We are led to wonder if this is their ideology?" Stalin quipped, appealing to the principal opposition party to work in tandem beyond party differences for the rights of Tamil Nadu and its people. Members of AIADMK re-entered the House one by one, seconds after the CM drew curtains on the discussion.

: The principal opposition party AIADMK on Tuesday abstained from a discussion on autonomy in the State Assembly as Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the constitution of a high-level committee to protect State rights and improve Centre-State relations.

Seconds after Chief Minister MK Stalin rose to make the announcement under rule 110 in the House, AIADMK legislators led by its deputy legislature party leader RB Udhayakumar insisted that Speaker M Appavu must allow them to raise an issue. When the Chair clarified that the CM was making an announcement under rule 110 and it would take precedence over their request, the unrelenting AIADMK MLAs stood their ground, and exited the House in protest, unusually quickly. Wary of the empty AIADMK seats in the House and the BJP's exit in opposition to the CM's announcement, Congress MLA K Selvaperunthagai told the House that two parties have opposed the CM's landmark announcement. “Those who are opposed to the welfare of people are out of the House. Another has walked out in protest of the announcement. They can express it if they have a difference of opinion over the high-level committee. But, to not even participate in it showed utter lack of concern,” Selvaperunthagai remarked.

Curiously, AIADMK members were in the lobby of the Assembly when the whole debate unfolded, waiting for the discussion to get over. Taking a cue from his ally, Stalin thanked all those who welcomed the announcement and said, "I am worried that members of the principal opposition party AIADMK have left without participating and expressing their views on the announcement. No matter what kind of differences of opinion existed between the DMK and AIADMK, both during the tenure of MGR and his successor J Jayalalithaa, they fulfilled the demands of the people on the promise that the rights of Tamil Nadu could not be given up.

"Don't know what the situation is today. They (AIADMK) say ideology and alliance are different. They have started saying it now. We are led to wonder if this is their ideology?" Stalin quipped, appealing to the principal opposition party to work in tandem beyond party differences for the rights of Tamil Nadu and its people. Members of AIADMK re-entered the House one by one, seconds after the CM drew curtains on the discussion.