‘No one should get up and run away’: CM Vijay dares DMK to listen to his reply on law and order concerns in Tamil Nadu
No One Should Get Up: CM Vijay's Assembly Dare
Indiadailyupdate.com – The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly erupted into disorder on Thursday after Chief Minister Vijay told opposition members that no one should get up and walk out while he delivered his reply on law-and-order questions. The ruling Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Kunram (TVK) government faced a barrage of DMK inquiries into rising crime figures, police promotions, and child-protection lapses. Rather than answer in the moment, Vijay deferred every response to the following Monday and attached a pointed condition: opposition legislators must remain seated throughout his reply.
Vijay rose mid-session, addressed the Speaker directly, and announced that he would furnish detailed answers to each question tabled by the opposition. He asked the Speaker to guarantee that no member would stage a walkout during his reply — a clear jab at repeated walkout tactics the DMK has deployed in recent sittings. The chamber, already tense, fell silent for a moment before the Speaker acknowledged the request.
"Honourable Speaker, for all the questions raised by the honourable members, I will provide a clear explanation when I come on Monday. Even if I am not here, I will receive information about who is asking what questions. I will provide a clear answer to everything. I have one request through you — no one should get up and run away."
Stalin's Multi-Pronged Challenge to TVK's Policing Record
Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin built his intervention around several interlocking grievances. He first questioned the logic behind TVK's public criticism of the prior DMK administration's drug-control efforts while simultaneously promoting two senior police officers who had headed the same departments under DMK rule. The dilemma was stark: either the earlier administration's work was competent enough to justify retaining its senior officers, or the promotions reflected considerations beyond performance.
Stalin then pivoted to child safety, citing a measurable increase in cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act across the state. He juxtaposed those figures with measures his own government had introduced — special victim-assistance committees and standard operating procedures aimed at accelerating judicial outcomes — implying that the current administration had dismantled or neglected safeguards once in place under DMK rule. He also referenced anti-NEET demonstrations at Marina Beach in Chennai, characterising the police response as suppressive and alleging political interference in the conduct of those protests, a framing that resonated with younger voters watching the proceedings.
"We expected the Chief Minister to respond. But he said he would reply on Monday and walked out of the House."
Arjuna's Counter-Punch and the Chamber's Descent into Chaos
Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna, speaking for the TVK government, redirected the debate by attacking the DMK's own crime data. He singled out murder statistics recorded in 2020 and 2021 — years within the DMK's final stretch of power — and questioned the accuracy and completeness of figures cited in opposition policy notes. The rebuke triggered an immediate eruption: opposition members rose en masse, voices rose, fingers pointed, and the Speaker had to call repeatedly for order before proceedings could resume.
The episode reinforced a pattern that has defined Tamil Nadu's post-2021 assembly dynamics. Since TVK assumed power in June 2021, the DMK has maintained a disciplined opposition posture, regularly tabling questions on policing, judicial delays, and organised-crime networks. TVK ministers, in turn, have grown accustomed to answering not the substance of a question but the provenance of the data behind it — a tactic that shifts the debate from policy to statistics. Vijay's insistence that no one should get up during his Monday reply signals an intention to close that loophole and force the opposition to sit through the full answer.
What the Monday Reply Will Test
By converting a routine question-hour into a scheduled political event, Vijay has raised the stakes for both sides. The DMK will almost certainly expand its question list, and the TVK government will need to field answers on drug enforcement, POCSO implementation, protest policing, and organised-crime networks all in one sitting. Whether the opposition honours the seating condition — or whether the chamber descends into disorder once more — will be the defining test of the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did CM Vijay defer his reply to Monday? Vijay stated that he needed time to gather accurate information on each question before responding. He asked the Speaker to ensure opposition members remained seated during his reply so that no one should get up and interrupt the proceedings.
What specific issues did the DMK raise in the Assembly? Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned police promotions tied to the prior administration, rising POCSO case numbers, the handling of anti-NEET protests at Marina Beach, and broader crime statistics. He framed each point as evidence of institutional neglect under TVK rule.
What was the TVK government's immediate response? Minister Aadhav Arjuna challenged the accuracy of DMK-cited murder data from 2020 and 2021, arguing that the opposition's figures were incomplete or misleading. The exchange escalated into a full chamber disruption before the Speaker restored order.