Stalin, DMK MLAs detained after facing eviction from Tamil Nadu Assembly

DMK MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin were on Thursday detained by the police as they blocked roads outside the state secretariat premises following their eviction from Tamil Nadu Assembly.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed noisy scenes leading to en masse eviction of opposition DMK members after they tried to raise the issue of alleged horse trading of AIADMK MLAs ahead of the February 18 trust vote sought by Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

Speaker P Dhanapal ruled that the issue was sub-judice and cannot be discussed and ordered the eviction of the DMK MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin, as they insisted on raising it.

Earlier, Dhanapal pointed out that the issue was sub-judice as DMK’s petition challenging the trust vote, won by the Palaniswami Ministry, was pending in the Madras High Court.

He also referred to the DMK yesterday making an urgent mention about the sting operation by a TV channel which had aired a video footage, purportedly showing an AIADMK MLA making some claims of pay-offs to ruling party MLAs ahead of the trust vote.

ALSO READ | Nitish Kumar believes MK Stalin will head Tamil Nadu's next government

However, the DMK members remained on their feet and raised slogans in support of their demand for a discussion on the issue.

The Speaker stuck to his stand that the issue cannot be raised and cited precedents from 2011 when similar matters were not allowed on the ground of sub-judice.

He also said that the MLA S S Saravanan of Madurai South and a member of the OPS camp have clarified on the matter. 

ALSO READ | MK Stalin questions PM Modi’s decision to meet OPS over farmers in Delhi