DMK, Indian National League trade words on allies

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 1.The pre-election heat briefly gripped the Assembly today, as the ruling DMK and the INL were locked in a verbal spat over their electoral alliances.

After fierce exchanges for a few minutes, Mr. Latheef and his two other party MLAs, staged a walk-out from the House.

During the debate on the Governor's address, when the INL member, Mr. Nizamuddin was speaking, Mr. Abdul Latheef, intervened and referred to the on-going CB-CID probe into the Palayamkottai mosque attack incident.

And provocatively, he added that he pitied the ruling DMK for its unsavoury company, obviously referring to its alliance with the BJP.

Instantly, the Health Minister, Mr. Arcot N. Veerasamy was on his feet, retorting:``You don't have to pity us.

It is we who have to pity you, as you are in an unacceptable company now''.

Angrily hitting back, Mr. Latheef said that he was now making efforts to make acceptable the unacceptable.

``The efforts of even a thousand people like you cannot make it acceptable. And your speeches in the Assembly would prove it,'' Mr. Veerasamy retorted.

An unfazed Mr. Latheef said that the DMK's statements would show as to ``who are sticking to ideologies and who have deviated from principles''.

The people of Tamil Nadu would decide as to who had stood by ideologies and they have already decided, Mr. Latheef declared, prompting the Leader of the House to sarcastically remark that he had not yet met the astrologer who had made such forecasts.

``It is not astrologers' forecast. We know the pulse of the people,'' Mr. Latheef insisted.

As tempers began to fray, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. Balakrishnan intervened to urge the government to order a CB-CID probe into the desecration of idols in Tirunelveli district following the Palayamkottai mosque attack incident.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, called the TMC member, Mr. Thirugnansambandam, to speak, prompting the INL member, Mr. Latheef, to demand more time for his colleague Mr. Nizamuddin.

As the Chief Minister walked into the Assembly, Mr. Latheef, became more vociferous.

Finally, after the Deputy Speaker's stout refusal to give more time for Mr. Nizamuddin to speak, Mr. Latheef angrily led his party MLAs out of the House.

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