Don’t waste time dwelling on past events: Stalin to his MLAs

Intervenes As MLA Recalls ‘Humiliation’ Of Party Over 10yrs

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:05.09.2021

Chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday sought to send a strong message to his legislators to stop recalling past events in the assembly as it amounted to wasting the time of the House.

More than once in recent days, he had also asked his MLAs not to indulge in sycophancy by showering compliments on him. On Saturday, participating in the debate on demand for grants for various departments, DMK (Kumbakonam) MLA G Anbalagan said his party had suffered humiliation in the assembly in the past one decade, with many AIADMK leaders making acerbic remarks against the DMK and its leadership. “A leader made an outrageous statement that there were no rivals for her to see in the assembly. Another leader said Stalin can never win and never become chief minister. Those faces are not to be found in the House. But others have come,” said Anbalagan pointing to Royapuram MLA Idream R Murthy, seated near him. Murthy, who defeated former AIADMK minister D Jayakumar, rose from his seat with folded hands, evoking laughter among the ruling party MLAs.

Stalin intervened at this stage to say the member had been given only 15 minutes by the speaker and hence, he should confine himself to the issues relating to the demand for grants for the department and should not waste time speaking about “unnecessary” things. Leader of the opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami said the DMK MLA should also talk about the vote on the motion of confidence in 2017 (when the DMK legislators created ruckus). Responding to this, the chief minister said, “I have told my MLA to limit himself to relevant issues to avoid wastage of time. If the Leader of the opposition is ready for a discussion (on the trust vote), then the DMK is also ready.” Palaniswami said the DMK MLA was making unnecessary remarks in the House.

Anbalagan went on to say the DMK was not against any religion and the party remained a fortress for spiritual people. It was portrayed as an anti-Hindu party way back in 1967 elections and in 2021, but people reposed confidence in the Dravidian party. Former CM C N Annadurai deputed his PWD minister M Karunanidhi to oversee the arrangements of mahamagam festival in Kumbakonam, he said. “In 11 seats, known for their spiritual significance, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Mylapore, the DMK won in the last election,” he said.

Later, DMK (Tirupattur) MLA A Nallathambi said rivals (the BJP) took out Vel Yatra to defeat Dravidam and the DMK, but it was Karunanidhi who took out a yatra for tracing the missing diamond spear of Lord Muruga in Tiruchendur.