DMK Walks Out of Assembly as Vijay Scraps Parandur Airport Project
Former finance minister Thangam Thennarasu said the DMK had already submitted a "call-attention" motion to discuss the project's necessity, and they felt the Speaker denied their democratic right to speak by abruptly cutting off discussion on the matter
Chennai: The opposition DMK on Monday staged a walkout from the Tamil Nadu Assembly protesting against the administration's decision to drop the greenfield airport project at Parandur near here. Immediately after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced that the government will give up Chennai's second airport project at Parandur in the interest of farmers and that an alternative site will soon be identified, DMK member E V Velu objected and demanded Speaker J C D Prabhakar to allow a discussion on the subject.
However, the Speaker declined saying a debate cannot be permitted when a CM or a minister makes a statement in the Assembly. However, if the member so desired he could raise the issue when the demand for grants for the department was taken up, Prabhakar said.
"Assembly rule 55 does not allow a debate or detailed explanation when a minister or chief minister makes a statement," the Speaker said firmly denying permission for a debate.
The DMK members walked out of the legislative Assembly protesting against the government's decision on policy change and for disallowing a debate on the issue.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the Assembly former finance minister Thangam Thennarasu said the DMK had already submitted a "call-attention" motion to discuss the project's necessity, and they felt the Speaker denied their democratic right to speak by abruptly cutting off discussion on the matter.
He argued that the Parandur airport project was vital for the industrial and economic growth of Chennai and surrounding areas, including the major industrial hub of Sriperumbudur. The site's selection was the result of extensive technical studies to avoid environmental and infrastructure conflicts, unlike other areas around the city which were deemed unsuitable due to existing airbases or nuclear facilities, Thennarasu argued.
He claimed that nearly 90 percent of the required land had already been acquired and compensation disbursed, making the government's decision to abandon the project at this stage was both "illogical and harmful" to the state's economic roadmap.
Thennarasu expressed concern regarding the future of the acquired land and remarked that without this airport, Tamil Nadu will continue to lose out on passenger and cargo traffic to neighbouring states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which are actively expanding their own aviation and industrial facilities.
