Chennai: With the opposition DMK continuing to boycott the Assembly, on Thursday Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam said there was no bar on DMK members from returning to the Assembly to discharge their democratic duties.
Raising the issue in the Assembly, Congress member S. Vijayadharani urged the ruling AIADMK to appeal to the opposition DMK to end their boycott and participate in the Assembly proceedings. Another ally of the DMK, K. M. Mohammed Abubacker of IUML, besides independent legislator T.T.V. Dhinakaran, wanted the ruling AIADMK to reach out to DMK, which is boycotting the session since May 29 (demanding the resignation of CM on Sterlite issue), to ensure that party performed its democratic duties. Congress and IUML tried to impress upon the AIADMK by saying the ruling party’s founder and late Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran had once reached out to DMK president M. Karunanidhi under a similar situation.
Dhinakaran appealed to Speaker P. Dhanapal to take steps in this regard. However, the ruling Treasury Bench turned down the opposition plea, with Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam insisting that “the Chief Minister (Edappadi K. Palaniswami) gave complete details on the Sterlite issue (on May 29). Opportunity was given to the Opposition to speak. They (DMK) were not asked to get out but went (walked out) by themselves.”
Mr. Panneerselvam, who is also the Leader of the House, said there was “no bar on the DMK, if they want to perform their democratic duties, they can come back (to the House).”
DMK Working President MK Stalin, had said his party will boycott the House proceedings till Sterlite plant was “permanently closed.”
Recalling the events leading to the DMK staging a walk out on May 29, Mr. Palaniswami told the DMK allies that they were aware of what happened that day, and pointed out that the main opposition party MLAs were not evicted. He said though Congress and IUML had also staged a walkout later that day, they had nevertheless returned to the House, adding, DMK could follow suit. “There is no bar on them against performing their democratic duties,” he added.
G.O on Sterlite closure will stand legal scrutiny, says EPS
Refuting opposition charge on the Tamil Nadu government’s order closing Vedanta group’s Sterlite copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said the GO on shutting Sterlite's plant will stand legal scrutiny and that it has been issued after consulting legal experts.
Making a statement in the Assembly on Thursday, while responding to Opposition charge that it would not stand legal scrutiny and that only a policy decision having the approval from Cabinet would thwart the company's attempts from moving the court, Mr. Palaniswami said since the issue involved a private plant, the government held discussions with Advocate-General Vijay Narayan, legal experts and senior Ministers and came out with the GO to close down the plant permanently.
“Only if the Tamil Nadu government issued any order contrary to the directions issued by the Central Pollution Board (CPCB) under Sec 88 (1) (B) of Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act of 1974, then the GO will not stand legally,” he stated. “But as on date, the CPCB has not passed any directions on the Sterlite issue. Hence the GO issued by the Tamil Nadu government for permanently closing down the Sterlite plant will stand legal scrutiny,” Mr. Palaniswami said.
Taking a dig at the DMK's mock assembly session, the CM claimed that it was an attempt to “conceal their mistakes” on the Sterlite issue. “As far as the Amma (Jayalalithaa) government is concerned, all steps are being taken for the permanent closure of the plant. Efforts in this regard were taken in 2013 itself when Amma was the chief minister,” he said, apparently referring to a closure order issued following a gas leak from the plant then.
