The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed heated scenes on Monday as opposition parties DMK and AIADMK sought to raise discussions on the recent ammonia gas leak tragedy and the Assembly resolution concerning the proposed Mekedatu dam project. The developments eventually led to a walkout by AIADMK legislators.
Soon after the House assembled, Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar invited Labour Welfare Minister J. Mohamed Farvas to present the government's statement on the ammonia gas leak incident in Tiruvallur district, which claimed the lives of five women workers. However, members of both opposition parties demanded that a discussion be permitted before the minister's statement was read.
At the same time, AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami urged the Speaker to allow a discussion on the Mekedatu dam resolution that had been unanimously adopted by the Assembly on June 19. He alleged that certain procedural norms had been violated in the passage of the resolution.
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A brief confrontation followed after the Speaker refused to permit any discussion before the statement was read under Assembly Rule 110. He also declined to allow debate on a resolution that had already been passed by the House.
As Minister Farvas attempted to read the government's statement, opposition members repeatedly interrupted him. The Speaker urged members to maintain order and refrain from intervening until the minister completed his address.
Palaniswami, however, continued to insist that the issue raised by his party be taken up immediately. This led to a sharp exchange between him and the Speaker, who reminded members that the proceedings were being broadcast live and urged them to maintain decorum.
Dissatisfied with the Speaker's decision, AIADMK members staged a walkout from the Assembly. As they left the House raising slogans in the corridor, the Speaker cautioned them against shouting outside the chamber.
Later, Prabhakar defended his ruling, stating that the AIADMK had ample opportunity to raise objections when the amended resolution was debated and passed in the Assembly.
"They are raising the issue now, which amounts to diverting attention from the real matter. We have been trying to present a united stand against Karnataka's proposed dam project. If Palaniswami had any reservations, he could have expressed them during the debate on Friday," the Speaker said.
He further maintained that discussions on a resolution passed in the interest of Tamil Nadu and its farmers could not be reopened in the manner sought by the opposition. Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Palaniswami said he had attempted to raise the Mekedatu issue during Zero Hour but was not permitted to speak by the Speaker.
"As we were denied an opportunity to express our views inside the House, we had no option but to walk out," he said. The former chief minister alleged that the amended resolution was adopted without properly informing the Assembly about the concurrence process, describing it as a procedural violation. He reiterated that the AIADMK did not support the amended version of the resolution on the Mekedatu project.
During the debate on the resolution introduced by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin had proposed an amendment seeking the establishment of a separate tribunal under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. The tribunal would specifically adjudicate issues related to the proposed balancing reservoir project across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu. The amendment was subsequently accepted by the House.
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