DMK boycotts Governor’s address in TN Assembly

Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition party, DMK, on Monday, boycotted Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s address in the Assembly in protest against his inaction on the release of 7 convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and the AIADMK’s support to the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

DMK, which has 100 MLAs in a house of 234, staged a walkout led by its President M K Stalin as the Chair did not allow him to raise issues. Purohit appealed to the DMK members to use the House for debate, but the MLAs staged a walkout.

The assembly session also saw opposition to the AIADMK’s support for the CAA with Tamimun Ansari, who won the 2016 assembly polls on a party ticket, sporting a black t-shirt with “No CAA, NRC, and NPR” written on it and AMMK legislator T T V Dhinakaran expressing support if any resolution against the controversial act is passed in the House.

Stalin has already submitted a petition to move a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the Assembly.

In his address, Purohit said the government will urge the Centre to provide dual citizenship to Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu. “Tamil Nadu will ensure that the interests of all citizens regardless of religion or creed are protected,” he said in his speech.

After staging a walkout, Stalin said the DMK boycotted the Governor’s address in protest against a slew of issues including the alleged nexus between the State Election Commission, police and officials during the elections to rural local bodies.

“The state government has debts over Rs 4 lakh crore, there has been no industrial growth, no job generation and no response from Governor on the issue of release of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Moreover, the AIADMK has supported the CAA which is against the pluralistic nature of Indian society,” Stalin told reporters inside the Assembly premises.

“There was no point in listening to the Governor’s address prepared by the AIADMK Government,” Stalin said and accused the state government of “enacting a drama” by moving the Supreme Court at the eleventh hour against NEET. He also sought to know the status of the legislation passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly in connection with NEET.

Meanwhile, the Business Advisory Committee decided to hold the session till January 9.