Come to Assembly after reading rules, says Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker

Chennai: The opposition DMK members who took exception to a AIADMK legislator addressing their party leader by his name not only invoked the ire of the Speaker but also ended up receiving advice from him.

While participating in the debate on the revised Budget for 2016 — 17 year, AIADMK's O.K. Chinnaraj made a reference to former Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi, in the Assembly on Tuesday and immediately, the DMK members stood up and shouted. They demanded that they be allowed to convey their views on the issue. But the Speaker P. Dhanapal declined contending there was nothing objectionable in Chinnaraj's speech.

However, the DMK legislators sought a “point of order” to reply to Chinnaraj. At this Mr. Dhanapal remarked, “you can’t force me to allow you to speak. You are forcing me to take action.” He called upon the DMK MLAs to allow Chinnaraj to complete his speech. But as the DMK members kept shouting, the Speaker said, “you should come to the House (after) reading the Assembly rules. I strongly condemn your action. There is no point of order for anyone,” he told them.

Following this, the opposition members returned to their seats and a while later when the Treasury Bench attempted to intervene during the speech of DMK legislator Ezhilarasan, they stood up and insisted that Ezhilarasan be allowed to complete his 'maiden' speech. The Speaker and also the Treasury Bench allowed him to complete the speech.