Friday, Aug 30, 2002
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Tamil Nadu
By Karthik Subramanian
At the start of the meeting this morning, the DMK Opposition leader, C.V. Malayan, sought an adjournment of business over allegations of corruption in the recent award of tenders for road works. He called for cancellation of the tenders. The BJP floor leader, P.S.S. Dhanushkodi, said it was true that at least in some Corporation zones irregularities had occurred in the award of tenders. He suggested that the process be centralised and that tenders invited at the Ripon Buildings in a `more transparent fashion'. Further, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption could probe the allegations. The Commissioner, M. Kalaivanan, said specific complaints would be investigated. Trouble erupted when Zone IX chairman, M. Subramanian (DMK) said there was an auction of tenders in some zones akin to liquor auction. At this juncture, the speaker system was switched off. The Opposition councillors then rushed to the well and gheraoed the Deputy Mayor, `Karate' R.Thiagarajan. The mike on the Mayor's table was pulled down by some DMK councillors. Amid frayed tempers and slogan shouting, files and chappals were thrown from both the treasury and opposition sides. S. Ameerbasha, ward 74 councillor of the AIADMK, flung a mike at the protesting DMK councillors. This was followed by both sides throwing uprooted mikes. Meanwhile, the DMK councillor, Selvi Soundarajan, walked on benches raising slogans against the ruling party. A plastic chair, flung at her, missed her narrowly. But she lost her balance while fending off the attack and fell, suffering a head injury. The DMK councillors, Nedumaran and Tamilvendan, were also injured in the melee. A photographer attached to a language newspaper sustained injuries in the head after a mike was flung from the DMK side. Even as chaos reigned supreme, Mr.Thiagarajan passed 42 resolutions and left the Council hall, but several DMK and AIADMK councillors stayed on and raised slogans. The watch and ward staff were silent spectators. The violence subsided only after Mr. Dhanushkodi and the AIADMK floor leader, V. Sukumar Babu, pacified the councillors. The Zone I chairman, Vannai A. Shankar of AIADMK, who ran carrying a mike was stopped by fellow councillors. Both the DMK and the AIADMK registered complaints with the Commissioner. Later, Mr. Thiagarajan and Mr. Sukumar Babu accused the DMK of deliberately inciting violence after M.K. Stalin was unseated as Mayor. The injured DMK councillors, Mr. J. Krishnamoorthy and Ms. Selvi Soundarajan, were admitted to the General Hospital. Meanwhile, two women councillors, B. Devi of CPI (M) and Gomathi of the CPI, held a dharna near the Ripon Buildings entrance against both the DMK and the AIADMK for disrupting the council. The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, told mediapersons later that the AIADMK had started raising commotion at all elected local bodies, especially those administered by the DMK. The Opposition parties slowly started retaliating. Such confrontation did not augur well for democracy, he said. A group of councillors have meanwhile, decided to meet the Governor on Friday.
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