Chennai: The AIADMK government had not convened the Assembly session since the ruling party had doubts if the government would last during that time, leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said.
He was speaking to reporters after a DMK MLAs meeting, which sought the convening of Assembly to complete the budget process and avoid the precedent of spending government money without the approval of the House.
Stalin said the DMK had given a request to convene the House to Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and the party would consider the next course of action if there is no reply from the Governor. He also accused the ruling party of mortgaging the state to the BJP.
Earlier, a resolution passed at the DMK meeting asked the Governor, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami and Speaker P. Dhanapal to convene the Assembly to discuss various issues faced by the state. Not convening the Assembly amounted to violation of democracy and complacency by the state government, the meeting flayed.
The Assembly is not being convened for discussing the state's welfare, drought, farmers' suicides, drinking water scarcity, students affected by Neet and transport workers strike, the resolution noted. The DMK also said the budget session had been ended to prevent recording the diamond jubilee of party leader M. Karunanidhi's entry into the Assembly.
Another resolution hailed Karunanidhi's achievements in the Assembly including democratic debates and he said, nationalised bus services and formed the slum clearance board, backward welfare department, besides abolishing hand-pulled rickshaws.
Karunanidhi enacted a law for property rights of women, provided 20 per cent reservation for MBCs, besides introducing the one kg rice for one rupee scheme and compulsory Tamil education. Many companies were set up in Tamil Nadu during his regime and desalination and metro rail projects were introduced, the resolution said.
