The opposition parties DMK and CPI (M) on Sunday slammed the ruling AIADMK government for the suspension of Opposition leader and DMDK chief Vijayakanth from the Assembly for ten days.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi told reporters here that the ‘repressive’ action against Vijayakanth “is an example of the AIADMK’s anti-democratic rule”.
Terming Mr Vijayakanth’s suspension as an “undemocratic” and an “unacceptable” action, CPI (M) state president G. Ramakrishnan in a statement said after the suspension, members were not allowed “even minimal discussions” in the House.
Noting that it was duty of an Opposition Leader to tell the government about public issues and also pinpoint the mistakes in administration, he said, “Things like evicting the members, suspending them from the assembly are not acceptable.”
On Thursday, Vijaykanth was suspended for 10 days after the Privileges Committee went into the conduct of the DMDK leader during a heated exchange with chief minister Jayalalithaa.
Protesting the suspension, the DMK and Left parties had walked out of the Assembly charging the government with being “dictatorial”.
The Marxist leader alleged that only those who praised the government were allowed to express their views freely in the Assembly.
“The way the AIADMK government handled the discussions that took place over the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address has worried those concerned about democracy,” he said, calling upon like-minded parties to come together to “safeguard parliamentary democracy in the Assembly.”
