Privilege panel action, a bid to save govt: DMK

Emerging out of the meeting, which was skipped by their legislature party leader and ex-officio member of the committee MK Stalin, senior DMK MLA S Regupathy said the very convention of the meeting was in violation of clause 223 of Assembly rules. 

“We took gutkha products in to the House only to draw the attention of the government to their illegal sale in the state. Consequent on our leader’s action, gutkha products worth several crores were seized and ten people were booked under the Goondas Act in the state. Our action has only resulted in good for the people of Tamil Nadu. We discharged our constitutional duty. We submitted the same before the committee today (Monday),” Regupathy told reporters at Fort St George, recalling how the Governor had even written to the Chief Secretary on receipt of their representation regarding the issue. 

He also reiterated that the ruling dispensation was attempting to save the minority government by initiating privilege action on DMK MLAs, including the Leader of Opposition, which was an “assault on democracy” that would set a wrong precedence. 

The DMK MLAs also suggested that they would seek legal remedy if the government attempts to disqualify their members. Earlier, participating in a party functionary’s wedding, Stalin said the ruling faction had urgently convened the privilege committee meeting to disqualify some DMK members to protect the minority government. 

Referring to the representation made by 19 AIADMK MLAs to the Governor, withdrawing support to the CM, Stalin said the EPS regime has now been pushed in to a state of coma and the number of dissenting MLAs would increase to 40 soon and hence the government has attempted to disqualify 10 DMK legislators to save the government.