Chennai, 22 June

The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed an uproar on Monday, with the opposition DMK and AIADMK making a vain bid to initiate a discussion on the ammonia gas leak accident and an Assembly resolution on the Mekedatu dam, resulting in the AIADMK members staging a walkout.

Immediately after the session commenced, Speaker JCD Prabhakar called upon Labour Welfare Minister J Mohamed Farvas to read out the official statement on the ammonia gas tragedy in Tiruvallur district that claimed the lives of five women workers. Both Opposition parties asked the Speaker to allow a discussion first.

Also, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, citing certain alleged violations, sought Prabhakar to allow a discussion on the Mekedatu dam resolution unanimously passed by the Assembly on 19 June.

An argument ensued when the Speaker declined to allow any discussion before the government statement under Assembly rule 110 was read out, and also on the resolution that had already been passed.

When the minister's speech was frequently interrupted whenever he began to speak, the Speaker asked the members not to intervene and asked them to remain silent till Farvas read out the statement.

But, Palaniswami insisted that the Speaker take up the issue that they wanted to raise and entered into an argument with the Speaker, who earlier cautioned the members on how to conduct themselves in the House as the proceedings were being aired live.

Refusing to accept the Speaker's ruling against them, the AIADMK members staged a walkout.

When they raised slogans on the corridor while trooping out of the House, the Speaker warned the AIADMK members against shouting in the corridor.

Later, Prabhakar remarked that the AIADMK could have raised the objection when the amended resolution was read out in the Assembly.

"But now they have chosen to raise the issue which was tantamount to diverting the real issue. We have been trying to present a picture of unity in opposing Karnataka's proposed dam project. Had he (Palaniswami) had any differences, he should have raised his hand in the Assembly on Friday, and argued his point," the Speaker said and reiterated that he cannot allow any discussion on the subject that was taken in the interest and benefit of the Tamil Nadu farmers.

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, the AIADMK chief said he raised the Mekedatu dam resolution issue during the Zero Hour but the Speaker disallowed him from speaking on the subject.

"So, we had to walk out. We were not given a chance to speak inside the Assembly," he said.

The former chief minister claimed that the amended resolution was passed without informing the Assembly about concurrence, and this was a "procedural violation." The AIADMK does not support the amended resolution on the Mekedatu issue, he said.

During the discussion on the resolution piloted by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin suggested an amendment asking the government to constitute an exclusive tribunal under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, to specifically adjudicate the balancing reservoir project across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu. This was accepted in the House.