Tamil Nadu Assembly erupts in ruckus over CM Vijay’s ED remarks; DMK MLAs evicted
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Tamil Nadu Assembly Erupts in Ruckus Over ED Remarks2>
The Tamil Nadu Assembly erupts in ruckus when a bloc of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) legislators surged toward the Speaker's podium on Tuesday, chanting party slogans and insisting that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's comments on the Enforcement Directorate's liquor-corruption findings be expunged from the official record. Speaker J. C. D. Prabhakar turned down the request, and the impasse ended only after House marshals physically escorted the protesting members out of the chamber.
What Set Off the Confrontation
The flashpoint was a Monday address in which Vijay projected ED documents onto the chamber floor and walked through findings from the Directorate's probe into the state-run liquor retailer, TASMAC. He named former DMK minister V. Senthil Balaji and his brother Ashok Kumar as participants in irregularities tied to the retail distribution network under the previous administration, framing the episode as systemic rather than incidental.
"The great achievement of the DMK is the dishonest intention," Vijay said, echoing language the ED had used in its own documentation.
Vijay also cited the Sarkaria Commission report, which estimated that roughly 2.5 per cent of tender value was lost to corruption while M. Karunanidhi headed the state government. He used that figure to argue the malfeasance was neither accidental nor peripheral, adding that the DMK objects whenever the TVK government raises corruption charges yet never volunteers that its own tenure was free of such practices.
"Financial irregularities were done in an organised manner and claimed it is a 'scientific corruption' that has taken place in the DMK regime," he stated.
How the Tuesday Session Unfolded
When the Monday remarks were entered into the Assembly's daily proceedings, DMK members moved to have the language deleted. They gathered at the podium, raised slogans, and blocked the chamber floor. Prabhakar explained that the comments had been made during a legitimate debate and could not be erased at the opposition's behest. The state law minister rose to defend the chief minister's right to present ED findings, while Leader of the House Sengottaiyan called for formal action against the disruptors.
With the impasse unresolved, Prabhakar invoked the watch-and-ward protocol and directed marshals to clear the floor. The DMK contingent was physically removed from the chamber. In a parallel move, DMK Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin and senior colleagues sat directly before the Speaker's chair, formally requesting permission to address the House. When the floor was not granted, the group staged a walk-out.
The episode marks the latest escalation in a rapidly intensifying feud between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government and the DMK, now seated on the opposition benches. The liquor-retail probe, now in the public domain through ED disclosures, has become a recurring battleground: the ruling side frames it as long-overdue transparency, while the DMK characterises it as politically motivated targeting of former office-holders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were DMK MLAs removed from the Tamil Nadu Assembly floor? They were escorted out after refusing to disperse while demanding that the Speaker expunge Chief Minister Vijay's ED-related remarks from the official record. The Speaker declined, and the watch-and-ward protocol was invoked.
What did the Enforcement Directorate findings concern? The ED investigation examined alleged corruption in tendering and distribution practices at TASMAC, the state's monopoly liquor retailer. Vijay presented documentary evidence naming individuals from the previous DMK administration.
Who was Speaker during the confrontation? J. C. D. Prabhakar presided over the session and directed the marshals to restore order after the DMK contingent blocked proceedings.