AIADMK MLAs stage walkout in Puducherry Assembly protesting rechristening of scheme

The opposition AIADMK on Tuesday walked out of the Puducherry Assembly here protesting the rechristening of free breakfast scheme in schools after DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi, after the House resumed its sitting and passed resolutions.

AIADMK legislature wing leader A Anbalagan who led the walk out said Chief Minister V Narayanasamy had in his budget speech on Monday stated that his government would augment the free break fast scheme named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in government schools.

He alleged that the Chief Minister had later during his address to the House pointed out that the schemewould be named after Karunanidhi. "The Chief Minister should clarify under which name would be free breakfast scheme be in force in schools," he said.

Anbalagan pointed out that the free break fast scheme was launched during the Congress rule in the past by the AICC leader Sonia Gandhi. The scheme was then named after Rajiv Gandhi.

"Why should the Chief Minister now rechristen it replacing name of Rajiv Gandhi?" he asked. "Chief Minister is encouraging political passions in operating government schemes," he said and staged a walk out along with the other members of the party.

A few minutes later, three legislators belonging to the DMK, an alliance partner of ruling Congress, also staged a walk out to mark their protest against 'silence' the Ministers maintained when the AIADMK leader was criticising the Dravidian party.

DMK leader R Siva said "the DMK never persuaded the government to christen any of the schemes of the administration after the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi." None of the Ministers came forward to prevent the AIADMK leader from making criticisms against the DMK, he said.