MKs name sparks row in House

CHENNAI: In Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, name does matter. When Municipal Administration Minister KP Munusamy uttered the name of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Wednesday, it led to an uproar following which the DMK legislator J Anbazhagan was evicted from the House.Participating in the Budget discussion, DMK legislator SS Sivasankar hailed Karunanidhi as the ‘mother of all welfare schemes,’ including the free housing plan. At this, Electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan said the Sankarankoil bypoll was flagged as one that weighed the performance (Yedai Therdal, Idai Therdal alla) of the AIADMK and DMK regimes by Karunanidhi. The people endorsed the government’s performance and the AIADMK romped home, he noted.Munusamy said the beneficiaries of the housing plan during Karunanidhi’s regime only became debtors. However, green houses were being built now and soon 60,000 beneficiaries would be getting houses which would be having all amenities, he said.Even as the Minister was making the observation, DMK members including Anbazhagan, Thangam Thennarasu and Sivasankar were on their feet objecting the reference to their leader by name.As Anbazhagan continued to vociferously demand an explanation from Finance Minsiter O Paneerselvam, despite his warning, Speaker D Jayakumar asked the marshalls to evict the MLA.Soon after the eviction, DMK legislature party leader MK Stalin said that it would be better if the tradition that the name of no leader would be taken was followed. At this, Viswanathan said ministers including Ponmudi during the DMK regime had referred to AIADMK chief by her name.Admitting that such an instance had happened, Stalin said the reference was however expunged from the House proceedings. Joining him, EV Velu, KR Periakaruppan and others wanted the members of the ruling party to refer to the proceedings.Finally, Speaker Jayakumar ruled that the name of the AIADMK chief had been cited by ministers including Ponmudi. “He had said that referring to the name was necessary as there were 10 former chief ministers. You may please check the records,” he said.