Karur Vs Thoothukudi: Gloves come off on Assembly floor

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly session on Wednesday witnessed a political slugfest between the ruling DMK and principal opposition AIADMK after the latter moved an adjournment motion to discuss the September 27 Karur stampede, which claimed 41 lives.

All hell broke loose when the back-and-forth between the Dravidian parties meandered into the topic of a chief minister’s duty, and DMK chief and Chief Minister MK Stalin brought up the Thoothukudi firing incident, in which 12 people were killed, during AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami's regime. The opposition eventually walked out.

It all started with the Leader of Opposition Palaniswami moving the adjournment motion under Rule-56 to discuss the tragic incident and started speaking only to be interrupted by Speaker M Appavu, who allowed Stalin to first make the government's statement on the issue.

Palaniswami and his MLAs opposed and demanded he be allowed to speak first and then the chief minister can reply.

Stalin clarified he was intending to make the statement of the government and not replying to the motion and informed the Assembly that as many as 606 police personnel were deployed at the venue of TVK president's (Vijay) political campaign.

"The organisers informed the police that 10,000 cadres would attend the campaign and that the meeting would be conducted between 3pm and 10pm. But the party's general secretary made a social media announcement saying the TVK president would arrive in Karur at 12 noon," he said.

Citing that Vijay reached the venue 7 hours late, Stalin alleged the delay caused overcrowding. "Since there was a huge gathering at the venue and several fans and cadres followed the caravan from Thavittupalayam toll plaza, police requested the organisers to make Vijay’s speech near Akshaya Hospital. But they refused and proceeded to the permitted venue. When the vehicle started moving, people standing on either side of the road lost their balance," he stated.

Stalin further alleged that TVK cadres attacked ambulance drivers when they arrived to rescue people who fainted due to overcrowding.

He listed out the immediate rescue and relief measures taken by the government, including his visit to Karur and monetary relief to the families of the deceased and said the government will act based on the final judgment by the Supreme Court.

At this point, expressing his displeasure over allowing the chief minister to speak before the motion was moved, Palaniswami said TVK’s campaigns in Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Nagapattinam and Namakkal went without incident. "If police protection was given based on the crowds in those four places, Karur could have been avoided. There are several contradictions in the claims of the chief minister and the police," he alleged.

When Palaniswami remarked it was the duty of the CM to visit the tragedy-hit spots, implying there was nothing noble about Stalin visiting Karur, the latter mentioned Thoothukudi police firing in which 12 people were killed. MLAs from both sides sprung to their feet, forcing the Speaker to intervene.

Recalling an incident, in which the Karur police denied permission to AIADMK to conduct a meeting in Veluswamypuram (where stampede occurred) citing movement of buses, narrow roads and others, Palaniswami alleged that there was an ulterior motive to permit TVK to conduct its meeting at the same spot.

Interfering, Palaniswami's speech Stalin quipped that the AIADMK is trying to make an election alliance (with TVK) and urged not to politicize the issue, to which Palaniswami and his MLAs expressed opposition.

Continuing his statement, Palaniswami asked why the police allocated the space for one party that was rejected for another party.

Meanwhile, public works department minister EV Velu reminded that AIADMK conducted a meeting at the same spot two days before Karur incident without any incidents. "Crowd came to the AIADMK meeting to hear what Palaniswami spoke, but the crowd gathered in the TVK meeting was to see the party president. Since the TVK president remained inside the vehicle, the crowd concentrated at the spot where he spoke, " he remarked.

Reference of Thoothukudi firing triggers ruckus:

When Palaniswami remarked that it was a duty of the chief minister to visit the spot where such incidents occur implying there is nothing noble about Stalin visiting Karur, the latter mentioned Thoothukudi firing, in which 12 persons were killed by police during Palaniswami's regime. This created ruckus in the assembly as MLAs from both the sides exchanged words. Speaker had to intervene to bring the house in order.

Later, transport minister SS Sivasankar made similar remarks on the Thoothukudi firing incident forcing Palaniswami and AIADMK MLAs to sit in the well of the floor and demonstrate against the references pertaining to Thoothukudi.

Despite the Speaker, chief minister and senior minister Durai Murugan promised to expunge the remarks if AIADMK points out any direct reference to anyone in the house. AIADMK MLAs continued their demonstration, making the Speaker order assembly marshals to evict them. But, the protesting MLAs walked out of the assembly.

Then, the chief minister alleged that AIADMK came with a pre-plan to create ruckus in the assembly and the intention of Palaniswami's speech was to form an alliance.

"The public are suspicious that the government had intended such an incident (stampede) as the venue, which was denied earlier, was given to TVK," Palaniswami told reporters after walking out.