CHENNAI: The distinction between the Executive (the ruling government) and the Legislature (the House as a whole led by the Speaker and Deputy Speaker) was blurred on Monday as Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Monday signalled Deputy Speaker M Ravishankar to refrain from making remarks on the government’s policy on prohibition, after the latter said such a decision could not be implemented with one signature.
The exchange took place during the debate on the demands for grants for the Prohibition and Excise, Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, and Agriculture-Farmers’ Welfare departments in the Assembly. The Deputy Speaker was seen wading into the role of the government when the intervention occurred.
PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani said liquor consumption had become a social problem, affecting women and families and contributing to domestic violence and an increase in young widows. She urged it to take a policy decision on complete prohibition. “The Chief Minister can do it with one signature,” she said.
Ravishankar, who was in the Speaker’s Chair during Speaker JCD Prabhakar’s lunch break, intervened and asked Sowmiya to conclude her speech as her allotted time had ended.
He added that the government would decide on prohibition at the appropriate time and that it cannot be implemented with a single signature.
Aadhav then gestured to Ravishankar to stop making such observations and was heard saying, “Don’t speak. Don’t say all this (stuff).”
Aadhav’s intervention came as the Deputy Speaker weighed in on a policy matter that would require a decision at the government level.
Ravishankar immediately cut short his intervention and gave the floor to Minister P Venkataramanan, who had risen to speak.