Chennai: The prevailing law and order situation in Tamil Nadu triggered a lively debate in the Assembly with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami countering the opposition barbs with alacrity.
When the opposition DMK attempted to pin down the government on several issues including increase in murder cases and certain police officials accused of corruption, Mr Palaniswami advised them not to judge the L & O situation based on isolated cases.
Initiating a debate on the home department, a portfolio held by the CM, DMK deputy floor leader Duraimurugan in his inimitable style remarked, “I know you have the Assembly marshals only to throw us out of the Assembly House. We shall conduct ourselves in such a way that they don't evict us. Please do provide the police coffee, snacks and food.”
Immediately, Mr Palaniswami replied that the police drafted for duty at the Assembly are provided food.
When Duraimurugan made a vain attempt to raise the issue of not granting promotions to the police, the CM said, about 49,574 officers of all cadres from sub inspector to DGP were granted promotions as on June end.
At one juncture, referring to Mr. Duraimurugan's charge that he received the policy note on home department rather late, Speaker P. Dhanapal said he verified and found that the document was delivered to him 8 am. “You can check the CCTVs installed at your residence and corroborate,” he said. To this, Mr. Duraimurugan retorted, “so you trust your staff and not me a member of this House.”
“I trust you, that's why I enquired and brought it to your notice,” Mr Dhanapal replied. Being cornered at every instance, an agitated Anbalagan remarked, “but for late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, you would have lost the deposit in elections.” Leader of the House K. A. Sengottaiyan replied, “we will see who will lose deposit at the time of elections.”
