CHENNAI: The primary Opposition DMK staged a walkout from the Assembly on Monday after Speaker JCD Prabhakar denied the party permission to respond to allegations made by Prohibition and Excise Minister Vignesh during his reply to the demands for grants.
Minister Vignesh alleged that irregularities involving the collection of an additional Rs 10 per liquor bottle at Tasmac outlets had occurred during the previous regime also, amounting to up to Rs 4 crore a year.
He said the government had introduced salary hikes and other welfare measures for Tasmac employees to improve the situation. Strict action had also been taken against employees who collected additional amounts from customers, he said.
The minister said the government had brought the collection of the additional Rs 10 under control and was taking steps to completely prevent the practice.
Following the Minister's reply, DMK members sought permission to clarify the allegations. However, the Speaker did not allow them to speak, prompting the DMK members to walk out of the House.
Later, speaking to reporters, former Minister V Senthilbalaji rejected the allegations. He claimed that the present government had increased Tasmac revenue under the name of an additional priority charge.
Responding to the minister's remarks on the bottle return scheme, Senthilbalaji alleged that the government had inspected only three outlets on a trial basis and wrongly claimed that only 54 per cent of bottles were returned.
He demanded that all 4,000 Tasmac outlets be inspected and that the actual number of bottles collected under the scheme be disclosed.